THE BASICS

- Score: Assumption 55, Merrimack 23

- Records: Assumption (4-0, 3-0 NE-10), Merrimack (1-3, 1-2 NE-10)

- Location: North Andover, Mass.

The Lead: No. 17 Assumption scored at least 13 points in every quarter as they improved to 4-0 with an impressive 55-23 victory over Merrimack on the road Saturday afternoon in North Andover.

HOW IT HAPPENEND

 - The Hounds jumped out to a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter as Marc Monks (Annandale, N.J. / North Hunterdon) found Brandon Swain-Price (Stoughton, Mass. / Stoughton) for a 15-yard touchdown.

- Merrimack tied the game up with 2:40 left in the first, but Deonte Harris (Baltimore, Md. / Archbishop Curley) caught a 28-yard pass from Monks to extend the Assumption lead to 14-13 less than two minutes later.

- Shamik Perry put the Warriors in position to even the game up with a 48-yard touchdown run just eight second into the second quarter, but the extra point was blocked by Nick Valenti (Troy, N.Y. / Troy) to keep Assumption in front 14-13.

- On the first play of the team's next drive, Monks found Justin Assad (Melrose, Mass. / Pingree) for a 62-yard completion that took the ball down to the five-yard line. Monks took it himself for the 21-13 with 13:16 left in the period. Merrimack managed a field goal on its next drive, but Doug Santos (Peabody Mass. / Peabody Veterans Memorial) extended the Hound advantage to 28-16 with a four-yard touchdown at 2:18, the first of his career.

- Assumption stretched its lead to 35-16 on its first drive of the second half, as Monks connected with Harris for a 58-yard touchdown at 10:41. Dylan Oxsen (Plymouth, Mass. / Plymouth South) followed up with a rushing touchdown around the left side for a 42-16 advantage midway through the period.

- Merrimack scored once in the third and the Hounds added two more touchdowns in the final quarter for the 22-point win. Oxsen scored the penultimate touchdown, while the final score came on a 23-yard reception by Junior Oyaronbi (Revere, Mass. / Saint Clement).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

- Assumption won its fourth straight game by at least 22 points, this time outgaining the opposition 531-473 yards despite running 17 fewer plays (80-63). The team rushed for 285 yards on 45 attempts while passing for 246.

- Monks tossed four touchdown passes but had two interceptions as he went 9 of 18 for 246 yards. Harris was his primary target with three catches for 92 yards and two scores while Swain-Price has four receptions for 69 yards and a score.

- Oxsen recorded his fiirst career 100-yard rushing day, going for 113 yards and two touchdowns on just 18 carriers. Santos meanwhile had 14 rushes for 90 yards along with his first collegiate touchdown.

- Merrimack's Derrick Villard had 119 yards on 19 carries while Perry had 12 rushes for 83 yards. Nick Davis rushed ten times for 51 yards, but went 17 of 37 for 22 yards and one touchdown.

- Senior Jarrod Casey (Milford, Mass. / Bridgton Academy) led the defense with 12 tackles while Valenti has nine stops, one tackle for a loss and a blocked extra point. Bryce Jacob (Paramus, N.J. / Paramus) recorded a sack, three tackles and one forced fumble.

- Charles Reid (Westampton, N.J. / Rancocas Valley Regional) added four tackles, one interceptions and two pass breakups.

UP NEXT

- Assumption returns home next weekend as the team hosts LIU Post in Multi-Sport Stadium at 1 pm. The two teams currently occupy the top spot in the conference standings as each is 3-0 in NE-10 action thus far.

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