Bulldogs fall to CCSU on Saturday

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The Bryant University football team fell to No. 25 Central Connecticut, 52-14, on Saturday afternoon at Arute Field.

Sophomore Harrison Easton (Miami, Fla.) posted his first-career touchdown, grad student Hunter Hill (Memphis, Tenn.) posted nine catches and a touchdown for the Black and Gold.

GAME INFORMATION
No. 25 Central Connecticut 52, Bryant 14
Records: Bryant (2-6, 1-2 NEC), No. 25 Central Connecticut (6-1, 2-0 NEC)
Attendance:

Coach Merritt's Comments

"They were simply better than us today."

Key Moment

• Moments after Bryant seemed to gain momentum with a 15-play, 95-yard drive in the second quarter, CCSU responded with a 56-yard TD run on the second play of ensuing drive to steal it away.      

How It Happened

• CCSU got on the scoreboard on its first drive, converting on 3rd-and-10. Aaron Winchester escaped pressure and then found Kyren Petteway for a 41-yard touchdown.  
• The Blue Devils extended their lead on a 34-yard Petteway touchdown with 4:55 to go in the first quarter. Winchester set up the drive with a 43-yard scamper and then found Petteway for the score.
• Winchester's legs set up the next CCSU TD as well. He scampered for 17 yards on 3rd-and-18 and then kept the ball on an option play and ran 41 yards for a TD with 14:52 to play in the 2nd quarter.
• Bryant answered with a methodical 15-play, 95-yard drive. The drive opened with a 21-yard reception by Hill before Easton and Daniel Adeboboye (Toronto, Ont.) took over. Adeboboye converted twice on third down before Easton got the Bulldogs in the endzone with four-straight touches. He barreled ahead for six yards, caught a screen pass for nine and then plowed into the endzone for a three-yard score.
• CCSU needed just two plays to answer as Winchester tucked the ball and ran for a 56-yard score on the second play of the ensuing drive.
• The Bulldogs put together another outstanding drive to make it a two-score game at the half. Bryant went 71 yards in eight plays. Jack Cappelletti (Milford, Mass.) and Hill posted back-to-back 11-yard receptions and Josh Gebing's (Cincinnati, Ohio) 12-yard catch put the ball at the CCSU 21. Kory Curtis (Cape Coral, Fla.) and Hill hooked up on the next play, with Hill hauling in a 21-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the endzone.
• CCSU opened the second half with a pair of quick scores. Danley Exilhomme capped an 11-play drive with a two-yard TD run and DJ Exilhomme scooped up a fumble and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown to make it 42-14 with 8:07 left in the third quarter.
• The Blue Devils closed the scoring with a field goal and a rushing score in the fourth quarter.

Stats

• CCSU outgained Bryant 555-279.
• Curtis completed 21-of-30 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown.
• Adeboboye rushed for 66 yards on 12 carries.
• Easton finished with 15 yards and a touchdown on six carries. He also caught four passes for 24 yards.
• Hill posted nine catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.
• Gebing had four catches for 35 yards.
• Robert Brown (Palmetto Bay, Fla.) posted six tackles.
• Andrew Hopgood (Warwick, R.I.) posted a career-high seven tackles.  

Notes and Notables

• Bryant is now 4-8 all-time against LIU.  
• Jesse Nemerowicz (Hudson, Mass.) now has 283 career tackles. He is just two tackles behind the program record of 285 held by Thomas Costigan.  
• Easton posted his first-career rushing touchdown in the game. He also posted his first-career carry and reception.
• Curtis completed 20+ passes for the second-straight week.
• Hill's nine catches were a new career high.

Up Next

The Bulldogs travel to Robert Morris next Saturday for a noon kickoff. The game is the #NECFB on ESPN3 Game of the Week.