SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The UMass Dartmouth football team concluded its outstanding 2024 campaign on Saturday, shouldering a tough loss to nationally-ranked Springfield in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament at Stagg Field.
The Pride move to 11-0 on the season with the 54-27 win and will face nationally ranked and defending National Champion, SUNY Cortland next Saturday in Cortland. UMass Dartmouth concludes their incredible season with a 10-1 overall record. It marked the third NCAA Tournament appearance for the Corsairs and the first Second Round appearance in program history.
On the Corsairs opening drive, graduate student quarterback and captain
Dante Aviles-Santos threw a 44-yard bomb downfield, hitting junior wide receiver
Naseim Harrison to the Springfield 12-yard line. The Corsairs completed the drive as Aviles-Santos hit senior wide receiver and captain
Angel Sanchez for the 12-yard touchdown catch and a 7-0 lead.
The ensuing drive saw the Pride rush the ball straight down the field as graduate student fullback Arsen Shtefan capped the drive with a three-yard score after combining for 48-yards overall in the push down the field. With the score tied 7-all, Springfield found the endzone once again as senior rusher Dante Vasquez capped a 15-yard rush to put the home team up 14-7 following the extra point.
Springfield opened the advantage to 21-7 in the closing minute of the first quarter as once again on the Pride's rushing game shined again, this time with a 40-yard score from graduate student fullback Joseph Cannizzaro.
In the second quarter, the Corsairs answered, closing the gap at 21-14 as a huge 43-yard gain from Aviles-Santos to Sanchez put the visitors on the Pride's 27-yard line. The drive was capped as Aviles-Santos found senior wide receiver
Thomas Zednik for a 27-yard touchdown pass, making it a seven-point game.
At the 10:45 mark, the Pride countered once again, utilizing a strong rushing effort took the home team to the six-yard line. Sophomore quarterback Drew Heenan punched it through, making it a 27-14 game. With 3:50 on the clock, Springfield drove through for another score as senior halfback Blane Hart crossed the endline from three-yards out for the 34-14 lead.
Out of the halftime, the Pride got the first possession, but the Corsairs capitalized as junior defensive lineman
Kairis Codio forced a fumble against Springfield's Heenan, which was recovered by senior defensive edge
Sam Alicea. UMass Dartmouth took over and a complete pass, coupled with a pass interference call on the ensuing play put the visitors on the Springfield 33-yard line.
Another pass interference against Sanchez in the endzone, moved the Corsairs up to the 13 yard line. Into the endzone once again, Aviles-Santos found Harrison and the PAT was successful by rookie kicker
Connor McManus to pull the margin to 34-21 with 8:02 to play in the third.
After a Springfield possession, the Corsairs got the ball back on a turnover on downs, but the Pride defense prevailed. On a long throw from Aviles-Santos, graduate student defensive back Joe Maurer intercepted the ball, returning it for the pick-six and a 41-21 advantage for the Pride with just over four minutes to play.
Into the fourth quarter of the contest, Springfield continued to utilize the run game, charging down the field as Hart once again carried the ball into the endzone on a 24-yard gain, pushing the score to 48-21 following the extra point.
The Corsairs responded with 7:49 to play as Aviles-Santos and Sanchez connected twice on the ensuing drive, capping it off with a 26-yard gain into the endzone, pushing the score to 48-27. Despite the momentum, the Corsairs were unable to find the endzone once more as Springfield added another touchdown for the final margin.
Aviles-Santos went 22-for-42 in the game, throwing for 371 yards and four touchdowns on the afternoon. He also rushed for 25 yards. In the air, Sanchez caught nine passes for a season-high 144 yards. He had two touchdowns. Harrison added 101 yards with a touchdown on four receptions, while Zednik added a touchdown with 51 yards on four catches.
Defensively, the Corsairs were paced by graduate student defensive back and captain
Shane Meerbott, who recorded a career-high 19 tackles, including 14 solo with one tackle for a loss of two yards. Codio posted 10 tackles, with a forced fumble, while senior linebacker and captain
Mike Henricksen added 10 tackles, including eight solo. Senior linebacker
Josh Lacerte also posted 10 tackles in the game, including seven solo.
