Falcons Suffer 40-0 setback to Corsairs

Bonhomme and Cummings combine for 16 tackles  

N. Dartmouth, Mass.– The Fitchburg State University football team dropped a 40-0 decision to the Corsairs of UMass Dartmouth this afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action from Cressy Field.

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 0, UMass Dartmouth 40

Records: Fitchburg State (0-8, 0-6 MASCAC) UMass Dartmouth (6-2, 4-2 MASCAC)

How It Happened

UMass Dartmouth opened with just under four minutes remaining in the first quarter when senior quarterback Dante Aviles-Santos (Cumberland, R.I.) ran a keeper around the right side, 34 yards for a touchdown for the 8-0 margin.

The Corsairs upped their lead (14-0) early in the second quarter as junior Luis Gonzalez (Greenacres, Fla.) found the endzone from seven yards out. The hosts extended its advantage midway through the frame with Aviles-Santos finding the endzone for his second score of the contest from seven yards out.

UMass Dartmouth upped the lead to 26-0 just before the half when senior wide receiver Keenan Little (Stratford, Conn.) found Gonzalez on a screen pass for the 14 yard touchdown.

Following the intermission, the Corsairs secured the victory with five minutes left in the third frame as newcomer Marvens Jean (Saugus, Mass.) took a handoff around the right side and sprinted 33 yards into the endzone for the 34-0 lead, resulting in the40-0 final.

Inside the Numbers

This afternoon's contest marks 24th matchup between the Falcons and the Corsairs on the Gridiron with Fitchburg State 8-16 all-time when taking on UMass Dartmouth

Offensively for the Falcons, senior Joseph Haskins (Townsend, Mass.) finished 3-for-8 with 38yards passing, while junior Frank Sims IV (Peabody, Mass.) ran for 39 yards on 11 carries. Junior Gabriel Mangrum (Worcester, Mass..) hauled in two pass for 57 yards.

For the Corsairs, Aviles-Santos finished 13-for-24 for 140 yards, while Jean ran for 173 on 15 carries and one touchdown.

Defensively, senior Rodny Bonhomme (Bridgeport, Conn.) led the way with a team-best nine tackles on seven solo stops and two assisted tackles as well as one TFL, while freshman Jordan Cummings (Swampscott, Mass.) added seven tackles on six solo tackles and one assisted stop.

For UMass Dartmouth, graduate student Marcus Elysee (Framingham, Mass.) registered a team-best nine stops on four solo tackles and five assisted tackles as well as three TFL's, while senior Malik Gibson (Norwich, Conn.) chipped in with six total tackles on two solo tackles and four assisted stops.

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Saturday, November 6th as they host Western Connecticut State for a MASCAC tilt, starting at 12:00 PM. Corsairs will travel to Bridgewater State next Saturday to take on the Bears in a conference clash at 12:00 PM