ALBANY, N.Y.- Monmouth University surrendered a 14 point halftime lead, dropping their first Northeast Conference contest of the season by a score of 35-17 to the University of Albany on Saturday. With the win, Albany improved to 6-3 overall and 5-0 in conference play, while the Hawks fell to 5-4 overall and 4-1 in the league.
Monmouth held a 14-0 halftime lead on a pair of Brett Burke (Wall, N.J./Wall) touchdown passes, while the defense held All-NEC back David McCarty to 23 yards in the first half of play. The second half was a completely different story as the Great Danes outscored the visiting Hawks 35-3, while McCarty finished with 208 yards rushing and one score.
After the opening kickoff sailed out of bounds and MU's offense took over on their own 40, Burke completed his first pass of the afternoon to Chris Kiley (Pt. Pleasant, N.J./Pt. Boro) for a gain of eight yards. The Monmouth offense converted three third down conversions to set up a first and 10 from the Albany 24. On second down Burke connected with Nick Romeo (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) for a 21 yard touchdown strike, putting the Hawks up 7-0 with 9:46 left in the opening frame.
The Hawk defenders forced an Albany punt but Great Dane punter Chris Lynch pinned Monmouth deep, with the ball being downed on the two yard line. MU's Jack Daniels was called on to punt after a MU three and out and Albany took over at their own 47. Linebackers Joe Valenti (Bayonne, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) and Jeff Brady (East Aurora, N.Y./St. Francis) combined to sack Esposito on first down and Albany was forced to punt for the second time.
The second quarter began with Burke hitting his seventh consecutive completion, this one a six yard pass to Troy Yudin (Stevenson Ranch, Calif./William Hart). On third and six Burke unleashed a pass over the middle that tight end John Nalbone (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) caught in traffic for a 15-yard touchdown catch, his fourth of the season. Fred Weingart's (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) extra point put the Hawks up 14-0 with 10:23 to play in the second quarter.
Albany's offense got on track on their third play, moving deep into Monmouth territory mainly on the legs of back David McCarty. With third and 10 on Monmouth's 24, Esposito took a designed run up the middle but did not pick up the first down. Hawk defensive end Garrett Culloo (Ocean, N.J./Ocean) got a hand on Heb Glass' 38 yard field goal attempt and the Hawks held on to their 14 point lead.
After a three and out Daniels punted to Justin Gannon, Nalbone stripped the UA ball carrier and Monmouth's David Ogden (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) fell on the ball, giving the Hawks a first down on the Albany 34. On fourth and two Sinisi fumbled the ball back to the Great Danes, who had 1:22 to try to get on the board. Esposito and the Danes moved the ball down to the Hawks 27 before the junior launched a pass to the wideout Jason Poore at the one yard line but Poore unable to come down in bounds with the ball. With five seconds left, Albany took one last shot at the end zone but the pass was batted away by safety Jon Stolarz (Andover, N.J./Hopatcong), preserving the 14 point lead.
With Albany getting the ball first in the second half, Gannon took the kickoff to midfield, setting up the Great Danes with great field position. The home squad converted two third down conversions, before a facemask call on a six yard McCarty run set the Danes up with a first and 10 from the Hawk 11 yard line. On third down from the MU seven, Esposito hit wideout Tim Bush for a touchdown with 10:52 to play in the quarter.
A three-play drive for negative four yards was the result of Monmouth's first second half drive, prompting a MU punt. The MU defense held UA to a three-and-out of their own, but on fourth down a high snap caused punter Chris Lynch to throw up a desperation pass that that was caught by lineman Mike Kelly who rumbled down to the Monmouth 30 but the Great Danes were hit with an illegal touching call.
Monmouth's offense was held to a three and out for the second straight possession and Albany took over at the MU 48. McCarty took the first handoff 12 yards for a first down but the Hawks were hit with a late hit call, setting up first down from the 19. On the next play Albany's Bush took a reverse the 19 yards needed to tie the game up with 6:26 to play.
On the next play Sinisi took a handoff up the middle for a 30+ yard run but was stripped late by 31, where it he recovered it. On the first Albany play, Bush was hammered by Amsel after a first down reception, popping the ball loose where Stolarz recovered it at the Albany 20. Three plays later Weingart converted a 28 yard field goal attempt, regaining Monmouth the lead 17-14 with 4:20 to play in the third quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, Gannon took the ball 50 yards, setting up the Albany drive at the Monmouth 31. Moving the ball well, Albany set itself up with a first and goal from the 15 after a false start penalty. McCarty fought off tacklers on first down, getting down to the three yard line. The final play of the third quarter, McCarty took the ball down to the one. The first play of the final quarter gave the Great Danes the lead, when Esposito plowed in on a quarterback sneak. Glass' extra point put the game at 21-17 with 14:55 to play in the game.
Albany forced MU into a third and long on their next possession but Burke found Nalbone for an 18 yard gain, setting up a fresh set of downs from their own 44. A 13 yard completion to Kiley gave the Hawks another first down, this time inside Albany territory. A pair of false start calls combined with a Trevor Anderson sack and the Hawks faced a second and 27 from their own 44. Unable to move past their own 46, MU punted the ball.
Backed up at their own 11, McCarty tore off a 35 yard run to Albany 46. Two plays later he ran for 30 yards, setting up a first down from the Monmouth 23. On third and one, the Hawks terrible tackling continued as McCarty appeared to be stopped but broke the tackle and took the ball 19 yards for Albany's fourth touchdown. The score extended McCarty's streak to 17 games, threatening Sinisi's FCS record of 20 straight games with a score.
A three and out with 5:27 remaining all but doomed the Hawks as Daniels' punt was fair caught by Gannon at Albany's 44 yard line. Four minutes later, Esposito scored his second touchdown on the game to ice the game for the Great Danes.
Sinisi was held scoreless for the second straight game against the Great Danes, while finishing with 118 yards on 26 carries but had two crucial fumbles. Burke, who started the game 14-of-17 with 107 yards and the two scores, completed just three passes in the second half and finished with 141 yards. Kiley led the Hawks with four catches for 37 yards. Stolarz' career-high 13 tackles led Monmouth.
McCarty had 208 yards, his fourth 200-yard performance of his career, and a touchdown. Esposito was 13-of-20 with 107 yards and a touchdown. Tim Bush had a career-high nine catches for 83 yards with a rushing and receiving touchdown.
The Hawks now will return home for senior day next Saturday for a tilt with Sacred Heart at 1 p.m.
