Manchester, N.H. (October 29) -- In a snowy fourth quarter on Saturday, the Assumption football team rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to pull out a 24-20 victory at Grappone Stadium in Northeast-10 Conference play. The win is the third straight for the Hounds as Assumption evens its record at 4-4 overall and 3-3 in the Northeast-10. In addition, Assumption has now won seven straight in the all-time series as well and leads the series by an 8-5 margin.

The first quarter featured only one scoring drive as Saint Anselm got on the board with 10:33 left in the period as Shea Cerio (Canastota, N.Y./Canastota) connected for a 25-yard field goal and the 3-0 lead. The Hawks made it a 10-0 score at the half as junior Mike Pierce (Andover, Mass./Andover) connected with sophomore Eric Feehan (Bedford, N.H./Bishop Brady) from four yards for the touchdown.

Assumption got on the scoreboard early in the third quarter as junior Brian Nowak (Wayland, Mass./Wayland) hit from 22 yards out to make it a 10-3 score. The Hounds kept up the pressure though and a 40-yard punt return by Paul Perez (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) gave the Hounds the ball at the Saint Anselm 15-yard line. Two plays later, sophomore Gabe Homiski (Preston, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) found tight end Scott Simonson (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) over the top for the 14-yard touchdown and a tie game at 10-10.

Saint Anselm regained the lead with 1:26 left in the third quarter as Cerio hit from 26 yards to put the Hawks in front 13-10. The drive was set up by a 47-yard completion to Feehan earlier in the drive. The Hounds took the ball on the ensuing drive and drove the ball into the red zone before Chris Bent (Dracut, Mass./Dracut) forced a fumble to end the Assumption drive at the 19-yard line. The Hawks took advantage too as senior Marc Wilson (Farmington, Conn./Bridgton Academy) rushed untouched 69 yards for the touchdown to put the Hawks ahead by a 20-10 margin.

The Hounds immediately rebounded though with a six-play, 70-yard drive that was capped by a 20-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Perez in the end zone to cut the lead back down to three at 20-17 with 10:45 remaining in the fourth. After Saint Anselm came up empty, they pinned the Hounds deep back to the four-yard line with a punt that was downed by Wilson. Assumption answered though with a nine-play, 96-yard drive that was capped by a 39-yard touchdown run up the near sideline by sophomore Matt Pedone (Holden, Mass./Wachusett) for the 24-20 edge with 4:31 remaining.

Homiski finished the game 16-for-23 for 165 yards and two touchdowns, while Pedone rushed 23 times for 155 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Adam Gruschow (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton) was the leading receiver with 100 yards on six receptions, while Simonson had six receptions and a touchdown. Sophomore Matt Colangelo (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell) led the defensive attack with 10 tackles in his first start of the season.

Assumption continues its two-game road trip on Saturday, November 5th as the Hounds travel to Bentley University for a 1 p.m. start in Waltham, Mass.