EASTON, Mass. – Despite tallying their second-highest point total of the season, the Pace University football team was defeated at Stonehill College on Saturday afternoon. The Setters move to 3-6 overall with one contest remaining on the schedule.

Inside the Numbers
Junior quarterback Dan Anerella (Old Bridge, NJ/Manalapan) totaled more than 400 yards of total offense for the Blue and Gold. The signal caller completed 30-of-49 passes for a career-high 379 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding 59 yards on the ground.

A pair of underclassmen receivers also put together break-out games for the Pace attack. Sophomore Darius Jones (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) snagged a career-high 10 catches for 152 yards and a touchdown, while freshman Daryl Nixon (Syracuse, NY/Liverpool) racked up four catches, 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Running back Jhalen Bien-Aime (Dorchester, MA/Bridgton Academy) supplemented the offense with 77 yards on the ground. Bien-Aime now has 1,037 rushing yards this season, which is a new Pace single-season record. Bien-Aime surpasses Billy Smith's previous mark of 976 yards set in 1995.

Defensively, senior linebacker Matthew Corrie (South Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) registered a game-high 12 tackles—including eight of the solo variety.

How it Happened
Stonehill jumped out to a quick lead, scoring the game's first touchdown just 19 seconds into the contest. The Skyhawks' first play from scrimmage was a 67-yard touchdown pass Matt Foltz to Andrew Jamiel.  Foltz and Jamiel teamed up for five scores on the day.

The Blue and Gold responded right away with an 11-play 84-yard drive, which resulted in a 26-yard field goal from Pat Davis (Forked River, NJ/Lacey Township). Anerella was the star on Pace's first scoring sequence, totaling 91 yards through the air and on the ground.   

Following the Setters' score, Merrimack scored 21-straight to close out the first half with a 28-3 advantage. Pace's final four drives of the half ended in three punts and a turnover on downs.

The Setters came out strong after halftime, taking their opening drive 75 yards for a touchdown. Anerella connected with Jones for his third touchdown of the season from 13 yards out.

Stonehill answered with a touchdown drive off their own just 42 seconds later, taking a 35-10 edge with 6:10 left in the third quarter.

The Blue and Gold notched three more touchdowns in the second half—all in the fourth quarter.

Nixon found the end zone twice, the first coming on a trick-play connection with senior receiver Nick DeVere (Novato, CA/Marin Catholic). DeVere found Nixon from 22 yards out for the rookie's second-career touchdown. Nixon's next score came off the arm of Anerella—a 36-yard connection at 12:33 of the final quarter.

Bien-Aime capped off Pace's scoring output, plunging in from two yards out with 2:28 remaining in regulation.

Up Next
The Setters will play their season finale next weekend at Southern Connecticut State University. Pace and the Owls are set for a noon kickoff on Saturday afternoon.