BENTLEY RALLIES PAST PACE IN FINAL QUARTER
MARVIN TAYLOR NAMED HOMECOMING MVP

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. - Senior safety Marvin Taylor (Newtown, CT/UConn) (Newtown, CT/UConn) had a 58-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown and a pair of interceptions in the Setters' heartbreaking 28-27 loss to the Falcons of Bentley University in Northeast-10 Conference action. Pace falls to 0-7 overall and 0-5 in the NE-10, while the Falcons improve to 7-1 overall and a conference-leading 5-1.

Bentley came out on their first possession of the game, using a 7-play, 60 yard drive, capped off by a two-yard touchdown run by Kelley Rowe for an early Falcon 7-0 lead.

The Setters would waste little time in answering, starting quarterback Joe Romanick (Slidell, LA/Northshore) (Slidell, LA/Slidell) came out firing on the first play, completing a 37-yard pass to Patrick Lupfer (Mineola, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) (Mineola, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) to put the Setters deep in Falcons territory. Nathaniel Ford (Queens, NY/Jamaica) ripped off a 25-yard and three-yard run to pull Pace inside the Bentley 10-yard-line. The Setters would use a little trickery and confusion as Romanick faked a QB sneak, handing the ball to Justin Polanis (Port Jervis, NY/Port Jervis) (Port Jervis, NY/Port Jervis) to beat the Bentley defender to the corner of the end zone to tie the game at seven.

The Setters would take the lead on the ensuing Bentley possession as Max Katzner (Bogota, NJ/Bogota) (Bogota, NJ/Bogota) stripped the ball by Falcon running back Matt Shea and Taylor scooped up the loose ball and raced down the sideline to a 58-yard touchdown to put the Setters up 14-7. Bentley would answer on their next drive, as Luis Cotto would score from three-yards out to tie the score at 14 after one quarter of action.

Pace would capitalize on a Bentley miscue as a Setter punt deflected off a Falcon blocker and was recovered by Albert Walden (Cliftwood, NJ/Matawan) on the Bentley six-yard-line. Three plays later, Kyle Curran (Shaftsbury, VT/Worcester Academy) (Shaftsbury, VT/Worcester Academy) would score from three-yards out to put Pace in the lead 21-14 early in the second quarter.

The Setters would extend their lead on their opening second half possession as Romanick led the Pace offense down the field, eventually hitting Eric Ortega (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) for a 28-yard touchdown strike. Pace would miss the extra point and lead 27-14 early in the third quarter.

Bentley would chip away late in the third quarter as Brett Schuering would score on the ground from nine yards out for slice the Setter lead to 27-21. The defenses would dominate most of the fourth quarter as Bentley would force two turnovers, while the Setters would force one.

The game would come down to one final drive for Bentley on their one nine-yard-line with 2:30 remaining in the game. The Falcons would go 15 plays, converting on a key fourth-and-two at the Pace 30-yard-line, culminating with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Bryant Johnson to Rowe with 18 seconds left for the go-ahead touchdown.

For Pace, Romanick finished 18-of-29 passing for 251 and one touchdown, while Lupfer, Ortega and Andrew Kulak (Wolcott, CT/Wolcott) (Wolcott, CT/Wolcott) each had four receptions. Lupfer finished with 76 yards, Kulak totaled 63 yards and Ortega 59 yards. Defensively, Jonfrey Sanchez (Bogota, NJ/Bogota) (Bogota, NJ/Bogota) led the Setters with nine tackles (six solo) along with one interception. Andrew Lipski (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place/Iona College) (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place/Iona College) registered eight tackles (six solo), while Tyrell Zimmerman (Waterbury, CT/Wilby HS/Northwestern St.) (Waterbury, CT/Wilby/Northwestern St.) totaled five tackles along with 1.5 sacks and two hurries. MVP Taylor finished with two tackles, but had two interceptions and returned a fumble for a touchdown. Michael LaMonica (Beachwood, NJ/Toms River South) (Beachwood, NJ/Toms River South) and John Induisi (Davie, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas HS) (Davie, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas HS) each recorded an interception as the Setters posted a season-high five interceptions.

The Setters return to action next Saturday when Pace will travel to West Haven, CT for a Northeast-10 Conference match-up against the Chargers of the University of New Haven at 1 pm.

For pictures from today's game, please go to http://www.csi-photo.net/gallery.html