Bryant downs LIU, 27-22, Saturday afternoon

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Junior Andre Brackett (East Windsor, Conn.) returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and sophomore Daniel Adeboboye (Toronto, Ont.) rushed for a career-high 145 yards as the Bryant University football team defeated Long Island University, 27-22, on Saturday afternoon at Beirne Stadium.

Brackett brought the home crowd to its feet with an electrifying return to start the game before Adeboboye and the Bryant defense grinded out an important Northeast Conference matchup. The Bulldogs limited the Sharks to just 33 rushing yards and posted three sacks and seven TFLs on the afternoon.

Adeboboye carried the ball 20 times for 145 yards and a touchdown, freshman Jihad Edmond (Englewood, N.J.) caught his first-career touchdown and junior Luke Samperi (Beverly, Mass.) kicked a pair of field goals.

Senior Robert Brown (Palmetto Bay, Fla.) posted 10 tackles, classmate Tomas Wright (St. Augustine, Fla.) had 2.0 sacks and 3.5 TFLs and Eulogio Portugal (Rosedale, N.Y.) intercepted a pass for the Black and Gold.

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 27, Long Island 22
Records: Bryant (2-5, 1-1 NEC), Long Island (0-5, 0-4 NEC)
Attendance: 1,268

Key Moment

• With the game tied 10-10 at the start of the third quarter, junior Jack Agnew (Washington Township, N.J.) forced a fumble and recovered it at the LIU 5. Edmond posted his first-career on the very next play to give Bryant a 17-10 lead.     

How It Happened

• Brackett wasted little time, receiving the opening kickoff at his own five and taking it 95 yards to the house. He raced up the Bryant sideline before cutting through midfield and racing downfield for his first collegiate touchdown.
• Samperi's first field goal of the afternoon, a 33-yarder, made it a 10-0 game with 9:33 left in the first quarter. The drive was aided by a 37-yard run by Adeboboye.
• LIU intercepted a pass to set up a 36-yard scoring drive at the beginning of the second quarter. Clay Beathard capped the drive with a two-yard QB keeper.
• The Sharks then stripped the ball from the Bulldogs and recovered at the Bryant 20 with 3:04 left in the half. Briant DeFelice kicked a 30-yard field goal to tie the game.
• LIU got the ball to start the second half and Agnew promptly got it back for the Bulldogs. Taking over at the 5, Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla.) connected with Edmond for a touchdown.
• Bryant pushed its lead to 24-10 with a six-play, 68-yard drive. Adeboboye capped the drive with a 39-yard touchdown run.
• Samperi's second field goal of the game, a 31-yarder, made it 27-10 with 14:55 left in the game.
• The Sharks attempted a comeback, scoring a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Beathard connected with Alex Daubon for a nine-yard score but the Sharks missed the PAT. Beathard's two-yard run with 5:34 made it a five-point game.
• The Sharks drove to the Bryant 35 but a fourth-down pass fell incomplete, ending the game.

Stats

• LIU outgained Bryant, 262-243.
• The Bulldogs limited the Sharks to just 33 yards rushing.
• Adeboboye rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.
• Curtis finished 21-of-30 for 110 yards and a touchdown.
• Hunter Hill (Memphis, Tenn.) caught six passes for 27 yards.
• Jack Cappelletti (Milford, Mass.) and Josh Gebing (Cincinnati, Ohio) combined for seven catches for 37 yards.
• Samperi hit a pair of field goals.
• Brown posted 10 tackles.
• Gbatoh Browne (Providence, R.I.) had seven tackles.
• Wright had six tackles, 2.5 sacks and 3.5 TFLs.
• Agnew posted six tackles, 1.0 TFL, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
• Portugal had five tackles and an interception.
• Brackett posted a 95-yard kick return touchdown.

Notes and Notables

• Bryant is now 2-6 all-time against LIU.  
• Jesse Nemerowicz (Hudson, Mass.) now has 280 career tackles. He is just five tackles behind the program record of 285 held by Thomas Costigan.  
• Nisivoccia now has 131 career receptions, third in program history.
• Brackett's touchdown was the first of his career.
• Brackett is now the 11th player in program history with a kick return touchdown.
• Edmond posted his first-career touchdown.
• Adeboboye posted a career-high 145 rushing yards.
• Wright posted multiple sacks for the second-straight week.
• He now has 6.0 this season and 27.5 in his career. He ranks second in program history, just 2.0 behind Jeff Covitz's program record.
• Wright now has 37.0 TFLs in his career.
• Portugal now has three career interceptions.

Up Next

The Bulldogs travel to New Britain, Connecticut, next Saturday to take on Central Connecticut. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.