Box Score
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Southern Connecticut State University football dropped a 19-10 decision to Football Championship Subdivision member Bryant on Saturday afternoon in non-conference action.
The Owls dropped to 0-2 on the season with the loss. Bryant won its season opener.
Trailing 13-7 in the third quarter, the Owls drove all the way to the Bryant 1 with a chance to take the lead. However, the Bulldogs foiled SCSU quarterback
Chris Roberts (New Britain, Conn.) on a fourth down attempt, which forced a turnover on downs.
The Owls' defense responded by forcing Bryant to a 3-and-out and a punt from the back of its own end zone.
Martin Manson (Bloomfield, Conn.) fielded the kick and returned it all the way back to the Bryant 15. Bryant kept the Owls from moving any further, and
Christopher Hazelton (Bristol, Conn.) made the score 13-10 with a 30-yard field goal.
The game stayed that way until late in the fourth quarter. Bryant moved the ball down from its own 20 deep into Owls' territory. The Southern Connecticut defense actually forced two fumbles on that drive. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs were the beneficiaries of fortuitous bounces and recovered both miscues.
Bryant capped the drive with a 9-yard pass from Michael Croce and Matt Tracey to make it 19-10.
The Bulldogs opened the scoring with a 10-play, 80-yard drive on their opening possession. Croce connected with Khalel Pritchard on a 36-yard touchdown. A point after touchdown by Chris Bird made it 7-0.
Bird added field goals of 37 and 24 yards in the second quarter to extend the lead to 13-0.
SCSU answered with a seven play, 63-yard drive late in the first half. The series concluded when Roberts hit
Andre Privott (Middletown, Conn.) on a 28-yard touchdown pass.
Roberts finished 17-of-29 for 159 yards and one touchdown.
Jarom Freeman (Peekskill, N.Y.) paced the running backs with 75 yards on 17 carries. Privott tallied three catches for 44 yards.
Andrew Pratt (West Haven, Conn.) had 15 tackles to lead the SCSU defense.
Southern Connecticut returns to action on Friday night at 7 p.m. for its Northeast-10 Conference opener against Pace at Jess Dow Field.
