Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's football team suffered its first setback of the 2015 season this evening, dropping a 35-17 decision to Springfield College on Stagg Field.
Junior Stephen Roy (Northboro, Mass.) surpassed the century mark for the first time in his career, gaining a game-high 117 yards on 13 carries. Roy also made an impact on special teams, returning five kickoffs for 113 yards.
Junior Cory Burnham (Essex, Mass.) was 14-for-32 with 160 passing yards and two touchdowns. Junior Jakarrie Washington (Everett, Mass.) and freshman Abbi Bamgbose (Fitchburg, Mass.) shared the team lead in catches with three. Junior Brendan Dagle (Northboro, Mass.) and classmate John Beardsley (Essex, Mass.) each registered their first touchdown reception.
Springfield (1-1) opened the night's scoring on the Pride's first possession, as O'Brien busted through the left side of the line for a 65-yard touchdown run to give the hosts an early 7-0 advantage just 2:15 in the game.
Beginning the second quarter, Springfield completed a 14-play, 67-yard drive lasting 7:28 when O'Brien handed the ball to Wilcox, who crossed the goal line to give the Pride a 14-0 lead.
The Corsairs (1-1) would respond after a 56-yard kick return from Roy set up an seven-yard touchdown pass from Burnham to Dagle, who caught the pass and dragged his feet in the back-right corner of the end zone. UMass Dartmouth would make it a four-point game with 7:09 remaining in the first half, as junior Steve Trask (Billerica, Mass.) converted a career-high 30-yard field goal to complete the 10-play, 56-yard drive.
Starting its drive on the 3-yard line, a 61-yard rush from Eglintine gave Springfield a chance to extend its lead midway through the third quarter. The sophomore would eventually pitch the ball to Brown, who found the right side of the endzone to cap off the Pride's 7-play, 97 yard drive to give the hosts a 21-10 lead with 6:55 left in the third quarter.
Just 2:19 later, UMass Dartmouth would answer, as Burham rolled out to his right and found Beardsley on a crossing route to return the Corsairs deficit to four points with 4:29 remaining in the third quarter.
Springfield seized control of the contest in the final frame, scoring 14 unanswered points. Just 51 seconds into the fourth quarter, Brown scored his second touchdown of the half from 6-yards out, after snagging an Eglintine pitch and barreling down the right sideline and into the endzone. The Pride completed the scoring midway through the frame, when Rodman took a hand-off, broke a few arm tackles and rumbled into the end zone from 56-yards out.
Sophomore Brandon Miller (Holden, Mass.) led the Corsair defensive attack with nine tackles, including one for a loss. Senior Derek Tarpey (Tweksbury, Mass.) and junior Alex Ortega (Lynn, Mass.) each produced eight stops.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, when the Corsairs open their Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) slate at Westfield State University.
