BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Facing arguably its toughest opponent of the 2016 campaign, the Pace University football team hung tight with No. 11 LIU Post on Saturday, falling to the Northeast-10 Conference's top team by a score of 35-17 at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Setters received the opening kickoff, and immediately came out firing with junior quarterback
Faustino Saucedo (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) hitting freshman wide receiver
Phyll Thomas (New London, CT/Bridgton Academy) for a 14-yard gain on the first offensive play of the game
- Pace kept the chains moving with short gains of five or six yards until Saucedo completed a 12-yard pass to junior wide receiver
Tyler Mason (Mohegan Lake, NY/Walter Panas) to get Pace down to the Pioneers' 26-yard line
- On 3rd-and-10, senior tailback
Delaney Wallace (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) rushed for six yards down to the 20, setting up freshman kicker
Nick DiCairano (Trumbull, CT/St. Joseph) to make a 37-yard field goal and give the Setters the early 3-0 lead.
- The Setters forced the Pioneers into a quick three-and-out on the next drive to force a punt, but were unable to get on the board on their second possession.
- LIU Post then went on a 10-play drive, but only managed 15 yards and was forced to punt once again.
- Late in the first, LIU Post started a drive on Pace's 45-yard line.
- A pair of 13-yard runs by David White first got the Pioneers into the red zone, and then put them over the goal line to give the home team a 7-3 lead with 1:08 left in the first.
- The Setters were unable to score on their next few possessions, but continued to play solid defense against the best team in the NE-10.
- Midway through the second, the Pioneers constructed a 15-play, 64-yard drive, capped off by a six-yard touchdown pass from Michael Campbell to James Higgins put LIU Post on top, 14-3.
- The Pioneers scored on back-to-back drives in the third to take a 28-3 advantage.
- The Setters took over on their own 25-yard line late in the third quarter.
- They had a strong and patient drive going as they crossed into LIU Post territory early in the fourth quarter.
- With 3rd-and-7 on the LIU Post 34-yard line,
Delaney Wallace (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) took a carry all the way to the house to make it a 28-10 game.
- Later in the fourth, the Pioneers scored once again on a nine-play, 49 yard drive to improve their lead to 25-10.
- The Setters responded with another long drive to get back on the board.
- Saucedo opened the possession with a 24-yard pass to sophomore wideout
Alex Toplyn (Sicklerville, NJ/Paul VI) to get over midfield.
- An 11-yard completion to
Tyler Mason (Mohegan Lake, NY/Walter Panas) moved the chains once again for the Setters.
- Another great pass to
Phyll Thomas (New London, CT/Bridgton Academy) for 19 yards got the Setters closer to the red zone, and a 13-yard pass to Thomas gave Pace 1st-and-Goal on the 10-yard line.
- A quick seven-yard pass to freshman receiver
Darius Jones (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) left Pace on the three-yard line.
- On 4th-and-Goal on the one, senior tailback
Michael Scotman (White Plains, NY/White Plains) punched it in to make it a 35-17 game.
- The Setters tried an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff to get the ball back, and were successful when sophomore
Jasheem Banks (Lake Ronkonkoma, NY/Sachem North) jumped on the ball to give the Setters another possession.
- Unfortunately, the Pioneers came away with an interception on their own 17-yard line to clinch the win.
PACE LEADERS
- Saucedo went 21-of-36 for 198 yards in the air, adding three yards on the ground.
- Wallace averaged 6.2 yards per carry on the afternoon, rushing for 68 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. He also caught two passes for another 15 yards.
- Mason recorded a career-high 11 catches for 97 yards in a solid outing on Saturday.
- Scotman rushed for 35 yards and Pace's other score.
- Sophomore defensive back
Michael Ferraro (Middle Village, NY/Peddie School) had a great day on defense, making a game-high 14 tackles and also breaking up a pass.
- Senior defensive linemen
Olatayo Ishola (Irvington, NJ/Sayreville/Lackawanna College) made seven tackles, including a sack for a loss of seven yards.
- Banks made eight tackles, broke up a pass, and recovered an onside kick for the Setters.
LIU POST
- Campbell with 24-of-30 for 136 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed 13 times for 62 yards.
- White rushed 20 times for 117 yards and two scores on the afternoon, adding two catches for two yards.
- Malik Pierre rushed for two more scores after taking 11 carries for 41 yards.
- Kevin Petit-Frere made five tackles, including the Pioneers' only sack of the game.
- Joshua Flowers had an interception and two tackles for LIU Post.
WHAT'S NEXT?
- The Setters return home for their final regular season contest of the year on Saturday, Nov. 5, as they host Stonehill College in NE-10 action at Pace Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.
- Saturday will also be Senior Day for Pace, as the Setters will honor their seniors in a ceremony prior to kickoff.
- The first 500 fans in attendance for Saturday's matchup will receive Pace Football Jersey Rally Towels.
For all information regarding Pace University Football, log on to
www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace Football on Facebook (
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@Pace_Football) and Instagram (
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