THE BASICS:

- Score: LIU Post 40, Assumption 31

- Records: Assumption (1-1, 0-1 NE-10); LIU Post (2-0, 1-0 NE-10)

- Location: Brookville, N.Y. (Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium)

- The Lead: The Assumption College football team rallied from a double-digit deficit to take the lead at LIU Post on Saturday in the Northeast-10 opener before eventually falling to the Pioneers by a wild 40-31 final. The Pioneers are the defending league champions and were chosen first in the NE-10 Preseason Coaches Poll.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

- Junior Alex Shain (Sanford, Maine/Sanford) finished the game with 121 yards on 21 rushing attempts, marking his second straight 100-yard game.

- Sophomore Cole Tracy (Camarillo, Calif./Newbury Park) finished the game with a school-record 6-for-6 performance in field goals, including a school-record 52-yard kick late in the second quarter. Tracy set the NE-10 single-game point scoring record for kickers and most field goals in a game, while also tying the league record for the longest field goal in conference history.

- Three Hounds quarterbacks combined for 290 passing yards, while sophomore Ashton Grant (Manchester, Conn./East Coast Prep) was the team's leading receiver with 88 yards.

- Defensively, the Hounds were led by junior Bakari Blunt (Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Dean College) with a 12-tackle effort, along with nine tackles and a sack from junior Jarrod Casey (Milford, Mass./Bridgton Academy).

- The loss marked the first regular-season road loss for the Hounds vs. Division II opponents under head coach Bob Chesney. The Hounds, who have won in every league stadium over the last three seasons, are now 10-1 in those road games.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

- In the first quarter, the teams combined for five turnovers that led to 13 of the 16 total points. Sophomore Jed Scott (Milton Mills, N.H./Sanford) recovered a fumble for the Hounds that led to the first points as Tracy connected on a 22-yard field goal. The Pioneers answered with 10 points in eight seconds on a 29-yard field goal, along with a fumble recovery for a touchdown on the ensuing kickoff by Kareem Folkes.

- The Hounds answered with 13 straight points to take a 16-13 advantage, beginning with a 30-yard field goal by Tracy that made it 13-6 with 10:06 left in the second. Senior Kendall Dardy-Jones (Dorchester, Mass./St. Sebastian's School) recovered a mishandled punt catch attempt and Shain scored from 10 yards out on third down to tie the game at 13-13.

- Tracy capped off a tremendous first half as he blasted a school-record 52-yard field goal with 54 seconds left in the first half as the Hounds led for the second time at 16-13. A 40-yard touchdown pass for LIU Post by Kyle Ward with just 19 seconds on the clock sent the game into the break at 20-16 in favor of the Pioneers.

- The next three scoring possessions all came off the leg of Tracy as he connected from 21 yards out early in the third, a 28-yarder with 3:35 left in the third for the 22-20 lead and a 35-yard kick with 10:55 remaining in the fourth to make it 25-20 Hounds.

- The Pioneers got on the board with 7:15 left in the fourth as quarterback Jeff Kidd scrambled in from 10 yards out on fourth down to jump back in front 26-25 after the two-point conversion attempt failed.

- LIU Post turned the Hounds over on downs with 4:04 left in the game as a pass on fourth down and seven fell short of its intended receiver. Assumption got the ball back on a punt with under three minutes remaining, but eventually turned the ball over on downs late in the quarter. The Pioneers took possession at the four and punched it in on a four-yard rushing TD from Mike Williams for the 33-25 final.

- Assumption answered with one last burst though as freshman Deonte Harris (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) pulled down a 36-yard TD pass from sophomore Marc Monks (Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon) with 36 seconds left. The two-point conversion attempt was short though to keep the margin at 33-31.

- The ensuing onside kick was recovered by Casey at the Assumption 42-yard line and 32 seconds on the clock. Monks was intercepted on third down though and the pick was returned 43 yards for a touchdown to account for the 40-31 final margin.

UP NEXT:

- Assumption is back in action on Friday, September 18th as the Hounds host Merrimack for the 2015 Home Opener at the Multi-Sport Stadium. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED:

For the latest on Assumption College Athletics, follow the Hounds via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. For more information, contact the Office of Athletic Communications at 508-767-7240.

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