DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Powered by a 54-point first half, the UMass Dartmouth football team opened its 2024 campaign with a 64-24 victory over Nichols College Saturday on Cressy Field. It marks the second straight season opening with for the Corsairs over the Bison, having posted a 57-6 win in Dudley in 2023.
Leading the way for the Corsairs was graduate student and quarterback
Dante Aviles-Santos, who was 16-of-19 on the day with 194 yards and four touchdowns. Sophomore
JC Petrongolo came on in relief, going 7-of-10 with 87 yards.
Graduate student and rusher
Marvens Jean finished with 83 yards on five carries with a touchdown – in addition to a receiving score - while junior
Kevin Brown had five carries for 69 yards and a score. The receiving core was paced by senior wide receiver
Angel Sanchez, who finished the day with 130 yards on eight catches with two touchdowns.
Nichols saw quarterback Ian Snow go 10-of18 on the day with 120 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, rusher Stone Compton had 13 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown.
The Corsairs opened the game's scoring on the opening drive as a deep pass from Aviles-Santos to Sanchez went 62 yards as the wideout made his way into the endzone. Sophomore kicker
Alex Moses came on for the extra point to give UMass Dartmouth the 7-0 lead.
Aviles-Santos capitalized once again on the next drive, taking advantage of a muffed punt to get the ball on the Nichols 10-yard line. The QB connected with junior receiver
Jael Cabrera on a 10-yard pass into the endzone with Moses's PAT pushing the lead to 14-0.
The Corsairs pushed the advantage to 21-0 at 4:24 as Aviles-Santos found Sanchez once again for a six-yard gain into the endzone. It was a big rushing score from Brown that made it a 28-0 lead as the junior carried it 73-yards in for the score with 47 seconds left to play.
Second quarter action saw the Bison add a field goal from Nick Foynes to cut the deficit to 28-3, but the offensive onslaught kicked into gear for the Corsairs soon after as junior kick returner
Eli Matthews ran the ball 87-yards for the touchdown and the 35-3 score.
Jean then rushed 37 yards for the touchdown at 6:39 with Moses's PAT pushing the score to 41-3, while the defense got in on the action as graduate student and defensive back
Shane Meerbott intercepted a Will Migliaccio pass to return it 25-yards for the score and a 48-3 advantage. The Corsairs closed out the scoring in the half as senior tight end
Jalen Kopecky drove in a short pass into the endzone to send the teams into the half with the Corsairs up, 54-3.
Nichols responded in the third quarter as Snow dropped a short pass to John Gianibas for a 12-yard gain into the endzone, cutting the deficit to 54-10. The Corsairs countered at 6:14 of the frame as Moses hit a 30-yard field goal for the 57-10 margin.
The Bison answered once again as rusher Stone Compton drove into the endzone for a two-yard gain and the touchdown, making it 57-17.
Fourth quarter action saw the Corsairs continue to push as Jean drove down the middle for eight yards and his second touchdown of the game and the 64-17 advantage. Nichols answered as Gianibas rushed for a yard and the score with 7:14 to make it 64-24 and close out the game's scoring.
UMass Dartmouth returns to action on September 14, opening their MASCAC schedule at Fitchburg State. Kickoff is set for 12pm.
