DANBURY, Conn. – Powered by a strong opening half of action, Western Connecticut State University posted victory over UMass Dartmouth in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action on Saturday afternoon. The Wolves move to 2-2 overall with the 52-21 victory, including a 2-1 mark in conference play, while the Corsairs shoulder their first loss, moving to 4-1 with a 2-1 record in the MASCAC.
The Wolves got the scoring going early in the opening quarter after Aiden Figueroa blocked the Corsairs punt, recovering the ball for a pick-six and the early 7-0 advantage. Later in the frame, a pass from Keion Jones to Zach Soriano pushed the score to 14-0.
Western Connecticut made it a 21-0 margin late in the first quarter as Chad Blaszky rushed for five yards into the endzone. Into the second quarter, the Corsairs finally got on the board as a two-yard rush from grad student
Luis Gonzalez cut into the deficit, 21-7.
Despite the momentum, the Corsairs were not able to hold off Blaszky, who drove into the endzone for a 30-yard gain and the touchdown. With 2:08 to play, Jones added another score for the Wolves, carrying it 31-yards to give the home team a 35-7 lead.
Out of the halftime and late in the third, the Wolves once again found the Corsairs end as Jones hit Julian Ferguson for 17 yards. Up 45-7 in the fourth following an Anthony Weidtma field goal, the Corsairs added points to the board as junior rusher
Jalyn Aponte made his way into the WestConn end – a
Braedyn DeMarco PAT – making it 45-14 with 8:29 to go.
Trailing late in the fourth, UMass Dartmouth added another score as senior quarterback
Dante Aviles-Santos found junior wideout
Angel Sanchez to make it a 52-21 game.
For the game, Jones led the Wolves going 11-for-16 with 154 yards and two touchdowns. He added three carries for 33 yards and a score as well. Blaszky carried the ball 30 times, posting 233 yards and two scores, while Julian Ferguson caught five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively for WestConn, Nosa Uzamere had eight tackles with seven unassisted. 1.5 of his tackles had a loss of four yards.
The Corsairs saw Aviles-Santos go 15-for-28 with 210 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 66 yards. Aponte carried the ball 11 times for 51 yards and a score, while Sanchez caught five passes for 104 yards and a touchdown.
On the defensive end, senior linebacker
Jackson Wellman recorded a game-high nine tackles, including eight solo. Senior defensive back
Trell Best added seven tackles (3 solo) for the Corsairs.
UMass Dartmouth returns to the field on Saturday, October 7, hosting Mass. Maritime at 4pm on Cressy Field for Blue & Gold Weekend.
