WORCESTER, Mass.– Kaiden Brochu and
Dom Santiago combined for 207 yards on the ground, as the Assumption University football team bested Bentley University 29-27, in Northeast 10 Conference action, Saturday afternoon at Brian Kelly '83 Stadium on Homecoming and Family Weekend.
THE BASICS
Score: Assumption University 29, Bentley University 27
Records: Greyhounds (3-2, 2-0 NE10) | Falcons (2-3, 0-2 NE10)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Assumption opened the scoring on its first possession, marching 81 yards on nine plays before
Dom Santiago capped the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run to put the Greyhounds ahead 7-0. Bentley responded with a touchdown on its ensuing possession to tie it 7-7.
The Greyhounds regained the lead midway through the second quarter after taking over at the Bentley 20-yard line.
Kaiden Brochu finished the short drive with a 10-yard touchdown run, giving Assumption a 14-7 advantage. Bentley answered with a pair of touchdown passes over the final three minutes of the half, including an eight-yard score with 33 seconds remaining, to take a 21-14 lead into the break.
Assumption's defense and special teams provided the only points of the third quarter. With Bentley backed up deep in its own territory,
Esteban Ortiz blocked a punt in the end zone that resulted in a safety, cutting the deficit to 21-16 with 3:20 remaining in the quarter.
The Greyhounds completed the comeback in the fourth. Santiago finished a 10-play, 51-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run with 7:39 remaining to put Assumption ahead 22-21. After the defense forced Bentley to give the ball back, Brochu capped a five-play, 30-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run, and
Luke Liborio's extra point extended the Greyhounds' advantage to 29-21 with 4:02 to play.
Bentley made one final push, driving 75 yards before Luke Warnock connected with Parker Woodring for a four-yard touchdown with 38 seconds remaining, trimming the Assumption lead to 29-27. The Falcons elected to go for two and the tie, but
Owen Fitzgerald stopped the Bentley ball carrier short of the goal line to preserve the Greyhounds' two-point advantage.
Assumption secured the ensuing onside kick before Brochu broke off a 17-yard run to help run out the remaining clock, as the Greyhounds held on for the 29-27 victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Dom Santiago was 14-for-26 through the air for 129 yards, while adding 120 yards on the ground for two scores.
- Kaiden led the Hounds backfield with 12 carries for 87 yards and two scores, while Widley Jean-Francois had 11 carries for 43 yards.
- John Walsh Karam had four receptions for 47 yards, while Keith Mancini.
- Defensively, Assumption was paced once again by Owen Fitzgerald who had 10 tackles, two for a loss and the game sealing tackle at the one-yard line. Jamai Blake had an interception, while Esteban Ortiz had a blocked punt for a safety.
- Bentley still leads the all-time series 32-8.
UP NEXT
- Assumption at Southern Connecticut State University, Saturday, October 17, 1:00 pm.
- Bentley vs. Saint Anselm College, Saturday, October 17, 2:00 pm.
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