Red Flash top Bulldogs, 39-28

BULLDOGS CAN'T HOLD OFF RED FLASH, DROP NEC-OPENER, 39-28

LORETTO, Pa. – The Bryant University football team held a 21-15 lead at the half but Saint Francis (PA) outscored the Bulldogs 24-7 in the second half on its way to a 39-28 victory on a rainy Saturday afternoon at DeGol Field.

In defeating the Bulldogs (0-2, 0-1 NEC) for the first time in program history, the Red Flash (1-1, 1-0 NEC) racked up 475 total yards, including 339 on the ground. The Black and Gold have lost their first two games of the season for the first time since the 2004 season.

Bryant found itself down seven points immediately as A.J. Alexander capped a six-play, 75-yard opening drive with a 23-yard touchdown run just 3:17 into the game. The Bulldogs then fumbled on their second play from scrimmage and gave the ball right back. The Red Flash moved the ball inside the Bulldog 10 before Connor McNamara (Sandy Hook, Conn.) forced Keion Wade to fumble. The ball popped free to the Bulldog five and Jeremy Woodson (Houston, Texas) picked it up and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown. The fumble return was the longest in program history and tied the game at 7-7.

The Bulldogs then grabbed their first lead of the afternoon just over six minutes later. Bryant forced SFU to punt the ball away and then began a 10-play, 84-yard drive to take the lead. Mike Westerhaus (Farmingville, N.Y.) connected with Jimmie Johnson (Washington, D.C.) on a third-and-nine before four consecutive rushes by Jordan Brown (Glastonbury, Conn.) put the ball on the Red Flash 32. Westerhaus then dropped back and found a wide open Jordan Harris (Lincoln University, Pa.) for a 32-yard touchdown connection to put the Bulldogs up 14-7.

Saint Francis would then rally to take a one-point lead with a touchdown and a safety. A pair of John Kelly runs gained the Red Flash 24 yards and then Kelly hit Khairi Dickson for a 17-yard gain to the Bulldog three. Two plays later, Kelly connected with Valshawn Wallace for a four-yard touchdown pass. McNamara blocked the PAT to keep the Bulldogs ahead, 14-13.

It didn't take long for the Red Flash to regain the lead after that as Asalemo Fruean tackled Brown in the backfield and then sacked Westerhaus for a 10-yard loss to put the ball inside the Bulldogs five. Bryant then tried a screen pass to Brown but Bishop Neal stepped up and tackled him in the endzone for a safety, putting the Red Flash up, 15-14.

With a chance to build on their lead, the Red Flash receive d the ball after the safety but a 15-yard personal foul immediately backed them up to their own 15. Saint Francis eventually put itself in a third-and-one situation but it Woodson again that made a big play. Looking deep for Alexander, Kelly's pass slipped out of his hands and right into Woodson's. The speedy cornerback turned on the jets and returned the ball 57 yards to the SFU 22. Three plays later, Westerhaus fired to the corner of the endzone and Matt Roncaioli (Southington, Conn.) made a leaping catch for his first career touchdown to put the Bulldogs back on top, 21-15.

That it was it for good feelings for the Bulldogs, however, as SFU came out of the halftime ready to go. Josh Thiel knocked home a 46-yard field goal to pull the Red Flash within three with 9:08 to play in the third quarter. The Bulldogs then saw their next drive stall out after a 46-yard run by Brown was nullified by holding. After getting the ball back, the Red Flash needed just six plays to take the lead for good. Dickson took the ball inside the Bulldog 20 with a 29-yard run and then capped the drive with a two-yard touchdown plunge to make it 25-21.

The Red Flash then went about killing off the clock. They converted a successful onside kick to keep the ball after the Dickson touchdown run but could not get any points out of it. They did, however, pin Bryant at its own two-yard line with a great punt. They were able to stop the Bulldogs and make them punt from the endzone, taking over at the Bryant 42. On the first play, Kelly found Alexander wide open over the middle and Alexander took it 42 yards for a touchdown, making it 32-21.

Bryant had one more chance to get back into the game midway through the fourth quarter as Jeff Covitz (Reading, Mass.) sacked Kelly and forced a fumble. Sam Sammons (Cypress, Texas) recovered and the Bulldogs had the ball at their own 38 down by 11. The drive lasted just one play, though, as Mike Dennis intercepted Westerhaus's pass on first down and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown.

The Black and Gold tacked on their final points with a Brown three-yard run with 7:20 to go on the clock. Both of the final two Bulldog drives ended in interceptions as the Red Flash closed out the victory.

Brown finished with 125 yards on 24 carries and scored his 35^th-career rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. Westerhaus was 10-of-24 for 128 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. Max Machado (Berkeley Heights, N.J.) led the Black and Gold with 12.5 tackles and Colin Sullivan (Swansea, Mass.) finished with 12 stops. McNamara blocked a PAT and forced a fumble for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs will now use the week to prepare for the University of Maine. The Black Bears will be the first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) team to play at Bulldog Stadium when they visit Smithfield on Sept. 15. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.