Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Despite compiling more yards than No. 20 nationally ranked West Chester in Saturday's NCAA Division II first round playoff game, the Southern Connecticut State University football team lost to the host Rams, 52-32. The loss concludes the season for the Owls with an 8-3 record. Southern Connecticut reached the NCAA playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
West Chester moves on to the second round and will play Bloomsburg on Nov. 22.
The Rams used two early scores to create a cushion that they would enjoy for the rest of the game. West Chester took the opening kickoff and compiled a three play, 87-yard drive that culminated in a 61-yard run from Jackson Fagan. Following a made PAT, the Rams were ahead, 7-0.
Southern Connecticut turned the ball over at its own 20 on the ensuing possession, and West Chester scored two plays later to extend its lead to 14-0.
The Owls struck later in the first quarter at the conclusion of a nine play, 69-yard drive. Senior quarterback
Chris Roberts (New Britain, Conn.) scooped up a snap that hit the turf and ran it in from three yards out. There was a low snap on the ensuing PAT and the try was unsuccessful, making it 14-6.
West Chester scored the next touchdown to move its lead to 21-6. However, the Owls quickly answered with an eight play, 85 yard drive. This time, Southern Connecticut found the end zone on a 12-yard pass from Roberts to wide receiver
Chris Bergeski (Mountainside, N.J.). The two-point try was no good, and the Owls closed to 21-12.
The Rams took the ensuing possession and scored again to make it 28-12. Southern Connecticut, though, had an answer of its own. Roberts capped another drive with a touchdown pass, as he found Johnny Lee (Norwalk, Conn.) with only 31 seconds left in the opening half. West Chester led 28-18 at halftime.
The Owls moved into West Chester territory after taking the second half kickoff. However, an interception off a tipped pass gave the ball back to the Rams. Fagan caped that drive with a four-yard run to make it 35-18. Then, just 1:17 later, Scott Schiavo picked off a pass and returned it all the way to extend the lead to 42-18.
Southern Connecticut kept fighting in the fourth quarter. Roberts connected with
Andre Privott (Middletown, Conn.) for his third touchdown toss of the day to close within 42-26.
West Chester added a field goal to make it 45-26, but after an interception from
Jerome Pinckney (Norcross, Ga.) gave the Owls great field position,
John Wiechman (Buxton, Maine) punched in a score from five yards out.
The Rams would add a late score to make it a 52-32 final.
Roberts set new career-highs with 23 completions and 350 passing yards. The wide receiving corps was led by Bergeski (seven catches, 103 yards) and Privott (five catches, 102 yards).
Ty Marshall (College Park, Ga.) added five catches for 90 yards.
Marshall became just the fifth wide receiver in program history to register 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Wiechman also went over the 1,000 mark for the year, marking the fifth straight year that the Owls have had a rusher reach that mark.
Kyle Sandberg (Toms River, N.J.) led the defense with 15 tackles on the day.
