Football Suffers 48-23 Defeat at New Haven
Box Score
WEST HAVEN, Conn. (Sept. 28, 2013) - Despite a 16-point first quarter, the LIU Post football team lost by a 48-23 final Saturday to New Haven in Northeast-10 Conference action at DellaCamera Field in West Haven, Conn. Junior quarterback Steven Laurino (Boise, Idaho) threw for a season-high 312 yards in the defeat.
UNH (3-1, 3-0 NE-10) jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead in the contest, returning the opening kickoff 78 yards. After an LIU Post three-and-out, the Chargers made quick work on their next series to extend the advantage to 14-0. Sophomore wide receiver Ty Headen (Newark, N.J.) caught a 15-yard pass for the touchdown.
The Pioneers responded though, totaling 16 unanswered points, to go in front (16-14) at the 1:11 mark. Red-shirt junior wideout Chris McGrane (Lynbrook, N.Y.) put the visitors on the board with a five-yard TD reception, while Laurino scampered seven yards for the go-ahead score, via a seven-play, 49-yard drive.
Those two plays were sandwiched by an LIU Post (2-2, 1-2 NE-10) safety. Following a Laurino punt that was downed at New Haven's one-yard line, senior running back Anthony Tillman (Piscataway, N.J.) was unable to get out of his own end zone on the ensuing rush, awarding the Pioneers two points.
The Chargers managed to go back ahead, however, before the end of the first quarter. A 73-yard heave from senior quarterback Ronnie Nelson (Stuart, Fla.) to sophomore wide receiver Courtney Moshood (Miami, Fla.) went for seven, making it a 21-16 game.
The hosts would not trail again in the match from there, as they outscored the opposition 27-7 over the next three quarters, en route to the win.
In addition to his 312-yard passing performance, Laurino also had 17 keepers for 73 net yards and a score. Red-shirt senior wideout Joe Botti (Holtsville, N.Y.) led the LIU Post receiving core with 66 yards, off five catches. McGrane added 55 yards and a touchdown. Red-shirt junior receiver Kamron Palmer (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and red-shirt freshman wideout Michael Richardson (West Babylon, N.Y.) each hauled in six balls for 53, and 49 yards, respectively.
For UNH, Nelson completed 18-of-25 for 364 yards and 3 TD's. Plus, he rushed 12 times for 38 yards and a pair of scores. Sophomore tight end Michael Flacco (Audubon, N.J.), brother of starting Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, caught four passes for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Head Coach Bryan Collins amd the Pioneers are back at it next Saturday (Oct. 5), in an NE-10 tilt versus Merrimack at Hickox Field in Brookville, N.Y. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.