WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University football
team fell to Sacred Heart, 26-25 in Northeast Conference action on Saturday
afternoon on Homecoming. The Hawks fall to 3-5 overall and 3-2 in the league, while
the Pioneers improve to 3-6 and 1-5 in the conference.
The Hawks, trailing for all of the first half, scored 16 straight points to
take a 20-19 lead with 12:55 to go in the fourth quarter. SHU retook the lead five minutes later but
quarterback Andrew Mandeville (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) connected with fifth-year
senior Nick Romeo (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) on a screen pass, which Romeo took
60 yards for a score. Trailing by five
with 3:39 to play, Sacred Heart went on a nine-play 76 yard drive that was
capped by a two yard Marcel Archer run to reclaim the lead for good.
The game was Monmouth's third one-point loss this season. MU is now 0-5 when trailing after the first
30 minutes of play.
Sacred Heart jumped out to an early 7-0 lead as Marcel
Archer ran for his first of four touchdowns, scoring from three yards out to
cap off a 14-play, 69-yard drive, with just less than 10 minutes left in the
first quarter.
The Hawks were able to put points up on their second drive
when Eric Spillane (Howell, N.J. /Colts Neck) connected on a 33-yard field
goal, cutting SHU's lead to 7-3, with three seconds left in the opeing quarter.
Spillane's field goal tied the Monmouth record, held by Steve Andriola, of made
field goals in a single season with 13.
The Pioneers took an eleven-point lead after they converted
a MU turnover into Archer's second rushing touchdown of the game, taking that
14-3 advantage into the half.
Mike Avent (Upper Marlboro, Md. /Eleanor Roosevelt) started
with second half with a 40-yard kickoff return to the SHU 49-yard line. Fifth-year
senior Andrew Mandeville (Hazlet, N.J. /Raritan) came on in the second half and
led the Hawks to their first touchdown drive of the game, capped off by a
13-yard rushing touchdown from Romeo, cutting the visitor's lead to 14-10.
Spillane drilled his second field goal of the game, establishing
a new single-season MU record with 14, to cut the Pioneers' lead to a point at
14-13 on Monmouth's next possession after it held Sacred Heart to a
three-and-out.
MU took a 19-14 lead on its next drive when Balial Sloan El
(Pennsauken, N.J. /Roman Catholic [Pa.]) ran up the middle for a 34-yard
touchdown on a fourth-and-inches with 12:55 left in the game. The Hawks'
two-point conversion attempt failed.
Sacred Heart responded on its next drive, going 81 yards
over six plays in 1:44, with Archer scampering 20 yards for his third score of
the game. SHU also didn't convert its two-point attempt, leaving the game at
20-19.
Mandeville put Monmouth in front when he connected with
Romeo for a 60-yard score to regain the lead 25-20, but the Hawks' two-point
attempt again failed. SHU quarterback Dale Fink led the Pioneers down the field
on its ensuing drive, resulting in Archer's fourth score of the game, giving
the visitor's a 26-25 lead.
Mandeville ran for a career high 110
yards on seven carries with a long of 52, while Sloan El added 64 yards, also a
career mark. Giles had 64 yards on 15
carries. Mandeville was five of six
passing for 89 yards including the 60 yard scoring strike to Romeo. Frazier was 12-of-19 with an interception and
110 yards. Romeo led all receivers with
a career high five catches for 82 yards.
Senior Jeff Brady (East Aurora, N.Y./St. Francis) had eight tackles and a pass breakup while Kendall Haley
(Olney, Md./Good Counsel) had six stops and three pass breakups.
Monmouth outgained SHU 474-313 but was just five of 14 on third down
conversions.
Archer had four touchdowns and 76 yards on the ground, carrying the ball17
times for the Pioneers. Tony Patterson
had six catches for 77 yards while Fink finished 21-of-38 on the day for 220
yards. Linebacker Chris Mandas led all
players with 12 tackles in the win.
Monmouth travels to Wagner for a 1 p.m. game in Staten Island next week
