Worcester, Mass. (September 4) -- American International senior Stephan Davis pulled down a 30-yard touchdown reception with just 1:36 left in the fourth as Assumption dropped a 27-25 final to the Yellow Jackets in the 2014 season opener for both teams at the Multi-Sport Stadium. The game was played in front of 2,761 fans, the largest crowd in Multi-Sport Stadium history.

Following a scoreless first quarter, the Hounds drove the ball into Yellow Jacket territory before Omari Manhertz recovered a Matt Heriveaux (Everett, Mass./Malden Catholic) to give the ball back to AIC just 14 seconds into the second. The Yellow Jackets converted the game's first turnover into points as sophomore Evan Graham jumped over an Assumption defender to pull down his first touchdown with 12:55 left in the second as senior Kevin Arduino found Graham from 11 yards out. The scored capped off a quick 11-play, 61-yard drive.

The Yellow Jackets used back-to-back big plays on their next drive to get into the red zone again with a 45-yard reception by Davis and a 25-yard grab by Maurice Easterling. Easterling grabbed the ball around the 20 and dodged a number of defenders to get down to the five-yard line. On a third-and-goal play just moments later, Arduino scrambled to the right and into the end zone from three yards out to stake the visitors to the 14-0 lead with 7:36 left in the first half.

Assumption closed to within 14-3 heading into the halftime break as senior All-American Tad Beuchert (Danvers, Mass./Saint John's Prep) converted a 28-yard field goal with 4:50 left in the period. The Hounds then stopped the Yellow Jackets on a late drive in the half to send the game into the half with the 11-point deficit.

After both teams came up empty on their first drives of the third quarter, Beuchert cut the AIC lead to one possession as he easily drilled a 38-yard field goal with 7:07 remaining in the period for the 14-6 score. Assumption got on the board with its first touchdown of the season with 2:47 left in the third as senior Eddy Frazier (Worcester, Mass./Burncoat) pulled down a 30-yard reception from junior Trevor Vasey (Cumberland, R.I./St. Raphael Academy) for the 14-12 margin. Vasey's two-point conversion pass attempt was no good as the Yellow Jackets maintained the two-point edge. Frazier caught the ball around the 10-yard line and scampered around a defender and up the near sideline for the touchdown.

Assumption took its first lead of the game early in the fourth quarter as freshman Ashton Grant (Manchester, Conn./Manchester) pulled down his first career touchdown reception for the 19-14 lead just six seconds into the fourth. Grant caught the Vasey scoring pass in the right side of the end zone, diving for the go-ahead score.

After Arduino exited the game with an unknown injury, Shawn Braithwaite came in at quarterback and directed the Yellow Jackets on a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive that was capped off by a 14-yard touchdown catch by Davis. Davis came down with the ball in the back end zone and stutter-stepped to get his feet down for the scoring catch and the 21-19 lead with 10:21 left.

 Assumption forced a turnover on downs with 6:05 left in the fourth on its own 25-yard line and converted that into points just three plays later as Heriveaux went straight up the middle thru the AIC defense for the 59-yard touchdown and a 25-21 lead. The two-point conversion was no good for the Hounds, keeping the deficit at four points heading to the final minutes. With just over two minutes left in the game, Assumption was forced to punt and seemed to pin the visitors fairly deep in their own territory. However, a 15-yard personal foul penalty got the Jackets close to midfield and just three plays later, Davis scored on a 30-yard TD reception from Braithwaite for the 27-25 AIC lead. The Yellow Jackets elected to go for the two-point conversion, but were unsuccessful as Assumption had one more opportunity.

Assumption converted a fourth-and-30 play to keep the drive alive, but the Jackets eventually clinched the game on a Vasey interception with five seconds left.

Grant and Frazier each finished with a team-high seven receptions and a touchdown, including a 110-yard performance by Grant in his first collegiate game. Frazier posted his second career 100-yard game, finishing up with 105 yards in the game. Vasey completed 20-of-37 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns at quarterback, while Heriveaux led the running attack with 81 yards on nine carries. Beuchert, who had a league-high 15 field goals in 2013, connected from 28 and 38 yards in the loss. Defensively, Andrew Benson (East Bridgewater, Mass./East Bridgewater) and senior Erik Abramson (Deerfield, Mass./Frontier Regional) each posted nine tackles, including one sack and two tackles for loss by Benson.

The Yellow Jackets combined to throw for 327 yards and three touchdowns, including the two scores by Braithwaite. Davis led the receiving corps with nine catches for a game-high 174 yards and two scores, finishing with 235 all-purpose yards. Defensively, Jaquawne Simpkins posted eight tackles that included 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for a loss of 19 yards.

With the loss, Assumption drops to 0-1 overall and in Northeast-10 play, while American International improves to 1-0 overall and in the league.

Assumption is back in action on Saturday, September 13th as the Hounds travel to Division 1 FCS member Sacred Heart University for a 6 p.m. start in Fairfield, Conn.

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