BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Visiting UMass Dartmouth posted a 37-10 victory over Bridgewater State University in MASCAC football action on Friday night at Swenson Field.
The Corsairs improve to 3-3 on the season and 2-2 in the MASCAC. The host Bears slip to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play with their third straight setback.
Sophomore Cody Burnham (Essex, Mass.) threw for 189 yard and four touchdowns, including three to senior wide receiver Abiola Aborishade (Attleboro, Mass.), while junior cornerback Shaquille Brummitt (Brookline, Mass.) recorded three interceptions to lead the Corsairs.
The UMass defense and special teams were responsible for five interceptions, two blocked punts, including one returned for a touchdown, a blocked field goal and a forced fumble resulting in a safety. Thirty of the Corsairs' 37 points were scored as a result of BSU miscues.
A blocked punt by freshman Jonathan Biggs (Stonemountain, Ga.) and subsequent 29-yard return for a touchdown by classmate Diego Hebra (Concord, N.H.) gave the Corsairs a 7-0 lead with 9:06 remaining in the first quarter. UMass upped the lead to 9-0 on a safety due to an errant snap midway throught the second quarter.
The Corsairs took over on the BSU 45 following the ensuing free kick. Two plays later Burnham hooked up with Aborishade on a 16-yard touchdown pass to make it a 16-0 game.
Later in the period, a blocked punt by Hebra gave the Corsairs excellent field position at the BSU 49. A 42-yard run by Roy set up a Burnham to Aborishade seven-yard scoring strike to give UMass the 23-0 advantage.
The Bears would get on the board with 28 seconds remaining in the opening stanza on four-yard touchdown run by freshman back Alex McLaughlin (Littleton, Mass.). The TD scamper capped off an eight-play, 73-yard drive as the teams headed to the locker room with the score 23-7 in favor of the visitors.
A Colin Neri (Upton, Mass.) 35-yard field goal on the opening possession of the third quarter pulled the Bears to within two scores at 23-10.
However, a 13-play, 85-yard drive later in the period put the game out of reach. Aborishade's third touchdown reception of the contest, this time from five yards out, capped off the six-minute plus march. A key pass interference penalty on third and 13 from the BSU 43 kept the drive alive.
The Corsairs would round out the scoring with 4:39 left to play in the fourth quarter as Burnham found senior wideout Jake Scott (Somerset, Mass.) in the end zone on a seven-yard touchdown pass. A Seth DeMello (Somerset, Mass.) interception and 19-yard return set up the scoring play.
Burnham completed 22 of 32 passes on the evening, while Aborishade finished with a game-high 72 yards receiving. UMass recorded 304 yards of total offense with 115 coming on the ground. Sophomore running back Stephen Roy (Northboro, Mass.) came off the bench to rush for a game-high 89 yards on 12 carries.
The Bears, who were without the services of two of their top three leading receivers, struggled mightily through the air. BSU quarterbacks completed just 12 of 39 pass attempts and were picked off five times.
Bridgewater did, however, find some success on the ground rushing for 182 yards. Senior tailback Blaise Branch (Brockton, Mass.) led the team with 83 yards on 13 carries. Sophomore quarterback Danny Higgins (Manahawkin, N.J.) added 61 yards on ten attempts.
BSU junior wide receiver Michael Viola (Wrentham, Mass.) caught four passes for a team-best 71 yards.
Both teams were plagued by penalties throughout the contest. The two squads were flagged 25 times for 241 yards.
Along with the five interceptions, the UMD defense also broke up an additional eight pass attempts with DeMello leading the team with two breakups. Hebra was the Corsairs' top tackler with nine stops (eight solo). Freshman linebacker Marvey Mathurin (Woburn, Mass.) added seven tackles while junior linebacker Anthony LaRose (Dorchester, Mass.) finished with a pair of sacks.
Freshman safety Kyle Dance (West Roxbury, Mass.) paced the BSU defense with ten solo tackles, while senior defensive end Marty Voorhis (Nashua, N.H.) added seven stops (five solo).
Both teams are back in action a week from Saturday. The Bears host Plymouth State University in their Homecoming Game at one, while the Corsairs travel to Worcester State University to take on the Lancers at 2:30.
Notes: UMass is 12-15 all-time versus the Bears with seven of the twelve wins coming on the road (7-7).