Statistics
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Despite two unanswered fourth-quarter touchdowns from the Nor'easters, Western New England University topped the University of New England football team in Saturday's Conference of New England opener, 28-21, at Golden Bear Stadium.
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Western New England (2-2, 1-0) held a 28-7 lead in the fourth quarter before UNE (0-4, 0-1) strung together two Chris Lang touchdown passes – with a fourth-down stop of the Golden Bears between scoring drives – to cut the lead to seven. The Nor'easters looked to get another key stop with 3:36 remaining, but WNEU picked up a pair of crucial first downs to seal the victory.
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A diverse run game and an efficient performance from quarterback Paul Gorry, who missed on just two of his 15 attempts, powered the Golden Bears' offense. They had seven different players with at least 10 rushing yards, led by Matthew McGuire's 76 on 17 carries.
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Damien Jones was the game's leading rusher with 84 yards, including a 43-yard run on UNE's opening drive.
Nathan Delgado accounted for the Nor'easters' lone score in the ground game.
Dante Howard and
Quinn Carlson were the targets of Lang's two touchdown passes.
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Third downs were difference makers for the hosts, as WNEU was 6-of-11 while holding UNE to just 1-of-9. The Nor'easters also converted just one of four fourth-down tries.
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One of those failed fourth-down conversions came on UNE's first drive of the day, after forcing a WNEU punt, where the Nor'easters stopped at the Golden Bears' 5-yard line, setting the stage for a 95-yard touchdown drive that set UNE back, 7-0, early. WNEU found the endzone again just before halftime, taking a 14-0 lead into the break.
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Three touchdown drives from UNE in the second half, including an 89-yard march to paydirt to open the third quarter, were not enough to tie the game at any point.
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The Nor'easters, still in search of their first win, will host No. 16 Endicott next Saturday (Oct. 3). Earlier in the week, it was announced that the game will be streamed by NSN.
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