STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.- The Monmouth Hawks scored a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns within three minutes of each other to break a tie game en route to a 31-17 victory over Wagner on Saturday.

The two teams entered the fourth quarter knotted at 17, before quarterback Brett Burke (Wall, N.J./Wall) found a wide open John Nalbone (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) for the go ahead touchdown with 6:48 to play in regulation.  After a Wagner turnover on the following series, back Dave Sinisi (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) clinched the win with a 22 yard scoring scamper, his third of the day.  The Hawks improved to 4-3 overall (3-0 NEC) with the win, while Wagner fell to 2-4 (0-2 NEC).

Burke had an impressive day throwing, completing 23-of-28 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown, while Sinisi had 16 rushes for 137 yards and a trio of scores.  

The Hawks appeared to force a three and out on Wagner's first possession but a roughing the kicker call gave the Seahawks a first down along with a free 15 yards.  Two long passes from WC quarterback Matt Abbey set the home team up with a first down on the Hawk 31, with Abbey connecting with Ron Woods three plays later for a third down conversion.  On second and long, Abbey dropped back for a play action pass and found wideout Tyrone Collins on one-on-one coverage for a Wagner touchdown.

Down by a touchdown, it took two plays for the MU offense to move into Wagner territory.  Mixing in the run and the pass, the Hawks set up a first and 10 from the Wagner 15 on a nine yard Nick Romeo reception.  One play later Sinisi took the ball to the left side, breaking two Seahawk tackles en route to the Hawks' first touchdown of the game.  With 2:52 to play in the first quarter, the game was tied at seven apiece.

 Burke and company faced a third and one from their own 48, with junior back Bobby Giles (Burlington, N.J./Burlington) picking up the first down by half a yard.  On second and five, Wagner defensive end Robert Brown sacked Burke setting up a third and nine.  The Hawks punted after a dropped pass on third down and the Seahawks started their third drive from their own 15 with just under 13 minutes to play in the second quarter.

After a Wagner first down, Jose Gumbs (Queens, N.Y./Hebron Academy) tipped a ball in coverage that was picked off by safety Jon Stolarz (Andover, N.J./Hopatcong), setting up a first down at the Monmouth 42.  Burke hit Troy Yudin (Stevenson Ranch, Calif./William Hart) on a out route to move the Hawks to the Wagner 40 yard line, but a converted third and long was called back due to an illegal motion penalty on the Hawks.  Facing third and 12, Giles took a draw for seven yards to set up fourth and five.  Fifth year senior Chris Kiley (Point Pleasant, N.J./Pt. Boro) stretched for the first down on the Wagner 29.  After moving just five yards, Fred Weingart (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) nailed a 42 yard field goal to give the Hawks a 10-7 lead with 5:31 to play.   

With Wagner setup with a second and 13, converted defensive back Ryan Middleton exploded up the middle for a 26 yard gain setting up a first down on the Hawks 37 yard line.  Middleton took the ball around the outside two plays later, with a 15 yard facemask penalty setting the Seahawks up on MU's 12.  Two plays later Collins caught his second touchdown pass of the afternoon on a 16 yard flag route, giving the Seahawks a 14-10 advantage with 2:11 showing on the clock.  Both teams had a possession with the remaining time but the half ended without any further scoring.

­The second half began with a 25 yard kickoff return by Michal Avent (Upper Marlboro, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt).  After a facemask tacked 15 yards onto a Sinisi rush, the Hawks were set with a fresh set of downs on the Wagner 40.  On a third and two, Sinisi took the ball up the middle, going untouched for 32 yards and the Hawks' second touchdown.  The run, capped a four-play 61 yard drive that put the Hawks back up 17-14 with 13:15 to play in the third quarter.

Back-to-back first down passes from Abbey set the home squad up on the MU 34, before he hit Woods on a fade at the Hawk eight.  On second down, Abbey was dropped by David Kennedy (Fort Lee, N.J./Paterson Catholic) and T.J. Cerezo (Stanhope, N.J./Lenape), setting up a third and goal from the 16.  The Seahawks tried a draw, which was snuffed out by cornerback Joe Arneth (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) setting up a 34 yard Eric Ortiz field goal attempt.  After Ortiz's field goal, the game was tied 17-17.     

A 10 yard Burke to Romeo completion on third down kept the next Hawk drive alive, but tight end John Nalbone (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) fumbled on the next play with Wagner's Jorell Joseph recovering the ball at the Hawk 41.  The MU defense held forcing a punt after three plays, minimizing the fumbles' damage.

Monmouth, who entered the game leading the nation in third down conversions, earned two on their next drive, as Burke moved the Hawks down the field efficiently but a holding call ultimately doomed the drive bringing on another MU punt.  After a disastrous punt, Wagner took over at their own 38.  On second and 10, corner Ayo Falae (Newark, N.J./Barringer) read the pitch right perfectly, dropping Davis for a six yard loss.  A third down screen was unsuccessful Wagner punted for the fourth time in the game.

After the two teams' traded punts in the early part of the fourth quarter before the Hawks moved the ball down to the Seahawk 29 on a six-yard third down Sinisi run.  On first down, Burke hit a wide open Nalbone for a 16 yard completion and the go-ahead touchdown with 6:48 to play in the fourth quarter.

On Wagner's next possession, Abbey fumbled and the ball shot backwards where it was recovered by MU linebacker Joe Valenti (Bayonne, N.J./St. Peter's Prep).   One play later, Sinisi went untouched off the right side for a 22 yard score to push the Hawk lead to 31-17 with 4:21 to play in regulation.

A pair of 15 yard Monmouth penalties aided a Wagner drive, that found the Seahawks set up with a first down on the Hawk 20 with 3:05 to play in the game but MU's defense held on fourth down, clinching the victory.

Giles had a career-high 75 yards on 17 carries, while Kiley hauled in six passes for a career-best 58 yards.  Nalbone finished with five catches for 32 yards.  Defensively, Falae led the Hawks with nine tackles, Gumbs pitched in eight while Garrett Culloo (Ocean, N.J./Ocean) had a career-high six.

The Monmouth defense held Wagner to 228 yards of total offense, including 71 on the ground.  Abby was 13-of-24 throwing two touchdowns and one interception.  Ryan Middleton led the Seahawks with 55 yards on the ground while Woods finished with three catches for 59 yards.  The Hawks held a 32:35-27:25 advantage in time of possession but committed 73 yards worth of penalties.   

After the bye week, Monmouth will face Central Connecticut State on October 26 on homecoming.