Box Score

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Junior quarterback Kevin Lynch (Medfield, Mass.) set new Southern Connecticut single-game records for completions (30) and attempts (46), but the Owls' football team dropped a 49-35 decision to No. 20 nationally ranked West Liberty on Saturday afternoon.

Lynch finished the day with 376 passing yards and three touchdowns on the day. The old mark of 45 attempts was set by Len Maiocco against Springfield in 1987. Steve Armstrong held the old mark of 28 completions, set against Merrimack in 2007.

The Owls dropped to 0-2 on the year with the loss. West Liberty is now 1-1.

Although it was a high-scoring affair, two key defensive plays were at the center of the action. West Liberty jumped out to a 14-0 lead and never trailed in the game. However, the Owls nearly seized control of the contest with a third quarter rally.

Trailing 35-25 late in the third, junior Ikponwmosa Igbinosun (Rahway, N.J.) dropped West Liberty running back Kevon Calhoun in the end zone for a safety to close the gap to 35-27.

Thanks to a 37-yard return by #J.W. Forte# (Everett, Mass.) on the ensuing kick, the Owls started the drive at the Hilltoppers' 33. SCSU marched down to the West Liberty 1 yard line and had two opportunities to score a touchdown. However, the Hilltoppers made consecutive stops to maintain their eight point cushion.

West Liberty went on to score the next 14 points before the Owls tacked on a late score. Lynch connected with Willie Epps (Norwalk, Conn.) on a 59-yard touchdown catch. The two-point try was successful when Lynch hit Rashaad Slowley (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) with a pass out of the backfield.

The Hilltoppers opened the scoring just 2:59 into the game. West Liberty forced an Owls' fumble on the SCSU 18 and needed only two plays to strike first on an 11-yard run by Calhoun. The PAT made it 7-0.

Calhoun added a three-yard run later in the quarter to close a six play, 67 yard drive and extend the lead to 14-0.

Southern Connecticut answered quickly with an eight play, 79 yard scoring drive. Lynch and Epps connected for their first of three touchdowns on the afternoon, this one a 51-yard reception. Christopher Hazelton (Bristol, Conn.) followed with the PAT to make it 14-7.

Alec Wood returned a punt 69 yards with 5:51 left in the first half to extend the lead to 21-7. However, the Owls quickly responded with an eight play, 70 yard drive. Slowley finished the march with a six-yard run. Hazelton's PAT trimmed the deficit back to seven points at 21-14.

West Liberty extended its lead to 28-14 with a touchdown late in the quarter. However, Lynch completed two quick passes to get the Owls into field goal range. Hazelton hit on a 26-yard field goal for the final play of the half to make it 28-17 at the intermission. 

The Owls took the second half kickoff and put together a five play, 63 yard drive. Lynch found Epps for a 32-yard touchdown pass. SCSU then went for two, and the try was successful, as Lynch hit Nick Mandich (Miami, Fla.) to make it 28-25.

West Liberty then scored on its next drive to push its lead to 35-25.

Epps and Andre Privott (Middletown, Conn.) both hit the 100-yard receiving mark on the day. Privott had a team-high seven catches for 100 yards, while Epps had four catches for 151 yards. Epps became the first Owl to haul in three touchdown receptions in one game since Jim Lukowiak in 2004.

Slowley had 12 rushes for 73 yards, while also catching four passes for 18 yards.

Samuel Johnson (Newark, N.J.) led the Owls' defense with 11 tackles and one sack.

The Owls return to action on Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. when they travel to Pace for their Northeast-10 Conference opener.