THE BASICS:

- Score: Shepherd 48, Assumption 31

- Record: Shepherd (11-0), Assumption (9-3)

- Location: Shepherdstown, W.Va. (Ram Stadium)

The Lead: No. 25 Assumption fell behind 14-0 just four minutes into the game, but fought back to play Shepherd even over the final 56 minutes. However, it wasn't quite enough as the third ranked Rams came away with a 48-31 victory in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

- The Rams took the opening kickoff and returned it 89 yards to the Assumption 8-yard line. They scored just one play later for the quick 7-0 advantage. Then, after forcing a Hound punt they needed just four plays to stretch their lead to 14-0 less than four minutes into the game.

- Deonte Harris (Baltimore, Md. / Archbishop Curley) provided some life for the Hounds on the ensuing kickoff as he took it down the sidelines for a 97-yard return for a touchdown to trim the deficit to 14-7.

- On Shepherd's next drive, Bakari Blunt (Mt. Pleasant, S.C. / Burke / Dean College) picked off a pass, setting up Assumption with decent field position. They marched it down to the six-yard line before settling for a 24-yard field goal from Cole Tracy (Camarillo, Calif. / Newbury Park) with 6:52 left.

- Assumption nearly pulled off the onside kick on the following kickoff, but they couldn't handle it and it went out of bounds at the 50. The Rams took advantage and scored three minutes later for a 21-10 lead.

- The Hounds nearly made it a one-possession game late in the first quarter, but Tracy's field goal attempt from 44 yards hit the right upright and bounced away.

- Midway through the second, Mario Garcia (Lawrence, Mass. / Lawrence) came up with a sack on fourth down to give Assumption the ball on its own 33. The Hounds then drove to the 37 before Marc Monks (Annandale, N.J. / North Hunterdon) executed a perfect fake handoff and went 37 yards down the sideline for the score with 6:52 left. The extra point was blocked to make it 21-16 with 6:52 left in the period.

- Shepherd added one score before the half for a 28-16 lead at the break and then stretched its lead to 34-16 on its first offensive play of the third, a 67-yard touchdown pass over the top of the defense.

- Assumption responded midway through the third, churning its way down inside the five-yard line, before Dylan Oxsen (Plymouth, Mass. / Plymouth South) powered in his 16th touchdowns of the season. The extra point was blocked, leaving the visitors down 34-22.

- On the ensuing kickoff, Andrew Martorella (Wantagh, N.Y. / Wantagh) placed a perfect onside kick over the first line of defenders, allowing the Hounds to swarm the ball and Kaleb Silva (Revere, Mass. / Revere) dove to the ground and eventually came out of the pile with the ball. The drive stalled, but Tracy connected on a 40-yard field goal to trim the deficit to just 34-25.

- The Rams were able to block an Assumption punt and take over on the visitors' 14-yard line. They eventually scored for the 41-25 lead going into the fourth.

- On the Hounds' first drive of the fourth, Monks came through with a 58-yard touchdown pass to Oxsen. The junior caught the ball over a defender, landed near the 40 and then outran the defense for the 58-yard score.

- Shepherd responded with a touchdown with 9:58 left, and Assumption came up short on its final two drives, providing the 48-31 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

- The Hounds had more first downs on the day (21-18), but Shepherd outgained Assumption 421-315. The visitors finished with 128 rushing yards on 41 attempts to go along with 187 passing yards.

- Oxsen had 12 carries for 48 yards and one score while also catching three passes for 81 yards. Doug Santos (Peabody Mass. / Peabody Veterans Memorial) led the team with 54 yards on nine rushes, including a run of 25 yards.

- Monks finished the day 19-for-47 for 187 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. His primary target was Harris, who caught seven passes for 40 yards. Harris finished the day with 161 all-purpose yards.

 - Senior Andrew Benson (East Bridgewater, Mass. / East Bridgewater) led the defense with six tackles and one interception, while Blunt added five stops and a pick. Jarrod Casey (Milford, Mass. / Bridgton Academy) chipped in four tackles.

- The 31 points is the most points Shepherd has given up this season and only the fourth time in the past two seasons they have allowed at least 30.

- Assumption's 23 seniors finish their careers as the winningest class in program history, accumulating a record of 33-14. It is six wins more than any other program in school history.

Record Book: Monks' 187 passing yards gave him 2,803 for the season, establishing a new program single-season record, while his 25 passing touchdowns are also a single-season record. Benson's interception was his sixth of the season, tied for the second-most in a single season in program history. Oxsen's two touchdowns on the day gave him 17 for the season, the second most ever in a single season at Assumption.

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