WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ- Monmouth University (5-6, 3-5 CAA) closed out the 2022 season and senior day with a win, topping Stony Brook (2-9, 1-7 CAA) 24-21 on Saturday.
 
Stony Brook scored 21 unanswered points to take its first lead of the game with 8:17 left in the game but two plays later Enzo Arjona hit Dymere Miller for a 72-yard touchdown to put the Hawks ahead 24-21. Monmouth's defense forced a three-and-out and the Hawk offense went to work, salting away the final 5:09 of game time with a 77-yard drive.
 
The Monmouth defense held Stony Brook to 199 yards of total offense while recording four sacks and forcing a turnover. Arjona finished with 245 yards on 14-of-22 passing with a touchdown and an interception. Miller had a career-high 143 yards on seven receptions including a 72-yard score. Running back Jaden Shirden, the nation's leading rusher, had 155 yards on 23 carries with a 64-yard touchdown.
 
On the second play from scrimmage Shirden gave the Hawks a 7-0 lead on a 64-yard touchdown run, his ninth scoring run of 50+ yards. Owen Wright's 16^th rushing touchdown of the season put the Hawks ahead 14-0 with 3:14 left in the first quarter. The Hawks added an Eric Bernstein field goal after Tyrese Wright intercepted Daron Brydon at the Seawolf 30.
 
Stony Brook's only score of the first half came on an interception that was returned for a touchdown when SBU's Carthell Flowers-Lloyd jumped a screen pass and went 41 yards to cut the lead to 17-7.
 
The Seawolves got to within three points on a 66-yard run up the middle by converted defensive back Ross Tallarico, who went untouched with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter.
 
NOTES & QUOTES
"I think it goes without saying that it's good to finish off the season with a win. We've had four really tough weeks recently where we were close but just couldn't quite get over the hump and get the victory. To see several of the guys fight hard in the last game of their careers, to play the way that we played, and to answer their scores, I could not be happier for this group." Head Coach Kevin Callahan


 "I don't want this to be missed: Another one of the seniors, Juwon Farri, a guy who hasn't played this year as much as he is used to playing, has the endzone in front of him with no defenders in sight, and he stops to take a knee because that's the right thing to do. That's the right thing to do to guarantee a win for the team. It's a testament of how unselfish he is, and it's that attitude and type of play that has gotten our program to where it is today." Coach Callahan on Juwon Farri going down inside the five instead of scoring a TD late

"Personally, I think it was great that we were finally able to get it together. The big thing for us was showing up on third down and being able to get stops. All season long, we were not winning battles on third down, and I think that's where we improved the most today." Senior LB DaQuan Grimes
 
"I've been waiting on one of those all year, to be honest. I saw a lot of turf out there and just went for it. I've been watching Jaden [Shirden] break big plays all year, and I just wanted to be there with him." Dymere Miller on his 72 yard touchdown
 
"Honestly, I'm just so grateful. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this team and get this win today. It was a hard season – anyone can see that. It didn't turn out the way anyone wanted it to, but the way that the boys bounced back and responded today and for us to play what I think was our best team game of the year, it means a lot." Senior Justin Szuba on his career as a Hawk
 
 

• Millers fourth quarter touchdown reception was a career-long for both the junior wideout and Arjona
• Monmouth leads the all-time series against Stony Brook, 6-4, and is 3-2 in West Long Branch, N.J.
• The Hawks improved to 3-3 at Kessler Stadium in 2022. 
• Monmouth's defense limited Stony Brook to 199 yards, the lowest total since the Hawks held Wagner to 191 yards on October 5, 2019.
• The Hawks held Stony Brook to 94 passing yards, the first time the unit limited a team to 100 yards or less since Kennesaw State had 100 on November 20, 2021.
• Dymere Miller set a new career high with 143 receiving yards.
• Miller's 72-yard touchdown reception was a career long reception and also was a career-long for Enzo Arjona.
• Arjona's 245 passing yards set a new career-best.
• Owen Wright ran for one touchdown, giving him 16 on the season, which ranks fifth in a single season in Monmouth history.
• Wright finished his career with 18 rushing touchdowns, good for 10^th all-time at Monmouth.
• Jaden Shirden registered his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game with 155 in the game. It was the second time this season Shirden ran for 100+ yards in four straight games.
• Shirden finished the season with 1,722 rushing yards, the second highest total in a season in program history. Pete Guerriero owns the program record of 1,995 yards set in 2019. 
• Shirden ended the year with 13 rushing touchdowns, tied for seventh in a single season in Monmouth history. 
• Shirden passed Matt Merklinger (1998-01) on Monmouth's career rushing yards list and is now seventh all time with 2,219 yards.
• Da'Quan Grimes ended the game with a team-high seven tackles and ends his career sixth in program history with 273 career tackles.

 
NUMBERS CRUNCH

• The Hawks had 419 yards compared to 199 for the Seawolves
• Grimes led the Hawks with seven tackles including a sack
• Pat Hayden had five tackles and a sack
• Ryan Kost had three punts for an average of 47.0 yards and a long of 51
• Tight ends Jack Neri and Justin Marcus had catches of 18+ yards
• Monmouth held a 31:56 to 28:04 time of possession advantage