BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The visiting UMass Dartmouth football team posted a 34-14 victory over Bridgewater State University in key Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) affair on Saturday afternoon at Mazzaferro Field. The game marked the final home contest of the 2023 season for Bridgewater State as well as Senior Day.

The defending MASCAC champion Corsairs improve to 8-1 on the season and 6-1 in conference play while the Bears fall to 5-3 overall and 5-1 in the MASCAC. UMass has won each of the last three meetings of the two teams. Bridgewater State holds a 20-15 advantage in the all-time series including a 10-9 mark at home as the two teams first met back in 1988.

Junior running back Jalyn Aponte (Boston, Mass.) rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries for the visitors while senior quarterback Dante Aviles-Santos (Cumberland, R.I.) 14 of 28 pass attempts for 154 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Junior wide receiver Angel Sanchez (Providence, R.I.) was the UMD leading receiver with five catches for 68 yards and a score.

Graduate running back Adam Couch paced the BSU offense with 75 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Couch also hauled in a team-best five receptions for 38 yards. Senior quarterback James Cahoon (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) completed 13 of 2 pass attempts for 149 yards and a late interception.

The Corsairs scored on their opening drive as they marched 88 yards on 11 plays capped off by a 17-yard touchdown pass from Aviles-Santos to junior wide receiver Thomas Zednik (Johnston, R.I.).

Bridgewater was forced to punt on the ensuing possession and the bad snap sailed well over the punter's head and UMass recovered at the BSU three. Two plays later, graduate running back Luis Gonzalez (Greenacres, Fla.) punched it in from a yard out to extend the lead to 13-0.  The point after try was missed.

UMass strung together a ten-play, 80-yard drive in the second quarter with Sanchez rushing for a two-yard touchdown to make it a 20-0 game.

The UMD defense limited the Bears to just 60 yards of offense in the first half. The Corsairs recorded four tackles for loss and three sacks over the first 30 minutes as well as five quarterback hurries.

Bridgewater righted the ship in the third quarter. After forcing a punt on the opening possession of the second half, the Bears moved the ball 79 yards on nine plays with Couch finding the end zone on a six-yard touchdown run. Eight of the nine plays on the drive were runs with Couch rushing for 37 yards and junior running back Trevor Nunes (East Falmouth, Mass.) adding 29 on the ground. A seven-yard pass from Cahoon to senior tight end Ryan Burchard (Holliston, Mass.) on third-and-seven set up the TD run.

The BSU defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing Corsair possession and a short 20-yard punt gave the Bears outstanding field position at the UMD 37. Despite starting the short drive with a false start penalty, Bridgewater managed to ultimately find the end zone on a Couch two-yard TD run. The key play of the drive was a nine-yard pass from Cahoon to Couch on third-and-nine from the Corsair 36. Cahoon then set up the Couch touchdown run with a 25-yard pass to Nunes.

The comeback bid, however, would end there as the Bears did not score again. UMass responded with the drive of the game, a 16-play, 75-yard march that took over ten minutes (10:18). The Corsairs converted three times on third, including a BSU pass interference penalty, and once on fourth down during the long drive. A nine-yard pass from Aviles-Santos to Zednik on fourth and seven from the BSU 15 would eventually set up a three-yard touchdown run by Aponte. UMass went for two and converted to extend the lead to 28-14.

Bridgewater went three-and-out to give the ball right back to the Corsairs. UMass then put the game well out of reach with a 12-play, 65-yard drive resulting in an Aponte two-yard rushing touchdown. The Corsairs converted twice on third down and once on fourth down during the drive.

The Bears finished with just 200 yards of total offense with 116 of those coming in the third quarter. Bridgewater went 4-for-13 on third down.

UMass held a more than 15-minute advantage in time of possession (37:41 to 22:19) as four of the five UMD scoring drives took at least ten plays. The Corsairs racked up 376 yards of total offense with 222 coming on the ground and were a perfect 5-for-5 in red zone chances. UMD went 7-for-16 (44%) on third down and 3-for-4 (75%) on fourth.

Junior linebacker Mike Henricksen (Lakeville, Mass.) led the UMD defensive effort with nine tackles (four solo), 2 ½ tackles for loss, 1 ½ sacks and a quarterback hurry. Senior defensive back Trell Best (West Haven, Conn.) led all players with ten tackles (seven solo).

Senior linebacker Brendan Albert (Canton, Mass.) paced the Bears with nine tackles (six solo) and a sack. Junior safety Zachary Sousa (Tyngsboro, Mass.) checked in with six solo tackles, his team-leading fourth interception and three pass breakups.

BSU senior punter Shane Drake (Franklin, Mass.) averaged 44.6 yards on seven punts and 61.7 yards on three kickoffs with one touchback. Sophomore kicker Joey Naso (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) went 2-for-2 in point after tries to extend his PAT streak to 30.

Prior to the start of the game, the Bears honored 14 seniors.

The Bears travel to MASCAC rival Framingham State University next Saturday to take on the Rams at noon. The Corsairs have a bye week.