Box Score

Senior wide receiver Ty Marshall (Ellenwood, Ga.) finished with seven catches for 203 yards and two touchdowns, but the No. 20 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University football team dropped a 39-36 decision to Bryant University on Saturday in Smithfield, R.I. 

Both teams moved to 1-1 on the year with Saturday's result. 

Bryant opened the scoring with a five play, 41 yard drive to take a 7-0 lead just 2:32 into the action. 

The Owls then countered with the next two touchdowns of the game. First, senior quarterback Steve Armstrong (Nutley, N.J.) connected with Marshall on a 33-yard strike to make it 7-6. Then, on their next drive, the Owls struck again when Armstrong found Johnny Lee (Norwalk, Conn.) on a 40-yard play. After a pass from Armstrong to Jarom Freeman (Peekskill, N.Y.) on the two-point try, SCSU was ahead by a score of 14-7. 

However, Bryant scored with only 10 seconds left in the first half to even the game at 14-14. 

SCSU went back in front on its opening drive of the second half. This drive concluded when Armstrong found Chris Bergeski (Mountainside, N.J.) on an eight-yard pass. 

The Owls, leading 21-14, promptly forced a turnover and were in position to strike again. However, Armstrong lost a fumble which was recovered by Bryant – and also suffered an injury on the play that forced him to leave the game. 

Bryant rallied to tie the score at 21-21, but redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Lynch (Medfield, Mass.) hooked up with Marshall on a 75-yard touchdown pass on a third-and-long to put the visitors back in front at 28-21. 

The hosts, though, countered with 18 straight points – the last 12 of which came off SCSU turnovers – to take a 39-28 lead early in the fourth quarter. 

The Owls climbed to within a field goal at 39-36 when Lynch threw a touchdown pass to Pete DiGangi (Cheshire, Conn.). 

Southern's defense forced a stop and had a chance to take the lead, but Bryant made one last stand to hang on for the win. 

In all, the Owls amassed 424 yards through the year on Saturday. Armstrong finished 17-of-23 for 282 yards, while Lynch was 5-of-13 for 142 yards. 

Bergeski finished with six catches for 98 yards on the day. 

The Owls are back in action on Friday, Sept. 12 for their home opener against AIC. Game time is set for 7 p.m.