PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Fueled by a ball-hawking defense that forced four turnovers, the Pace University football team opened 2017 with a 28-20 win over Millersville on Saturday night.
Inside the Numbers
It was an advantageous defense that led the way for the Setters, forcing three fumbles and snagging an interception. The Pace offense followed suit, turning the take-aways into 14 points.
Joe Mendez (Old Bridge, NJ/Manalapan),
Dan Pelish (Poughquag, NY/Arlington) and
Kadeem Langhorne (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) all registered forced fumbles while freshman
Menkare Fleming-Gawthney (Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) recorded the interception.
Offensively, running back
Jhalen Bien-Aime (Dorchester, MA/Bridgton Academy) led the way. The redshirt-junior turned 20 carries into 98 yards and a touchdown. Pace's rushing attack was strong all night long as
Marquis Pickering (Staten Island, NY/Michael J. Petrides) followed with 35 yards of his own.
Junior quarterback
Dan Anerella (Old Bridge, NJ/Manalapan) finished the night 13-of-18 for 78 yards and three touchdowns (one rushing). Seniors
Nick DeVere (Novato, CA/Marin Catholic) and
Tyler Mason (Mohegan Lake, NY/Walter Panas) were on the receiving ends of those scores—each in the second half. The senior duo combined for four catches for 49 yards.
Pace's offense made the most of its chances, going three-for-three in the red zone.
How it Happened
The Setters seized the early momentum with a pair of first-half touchdowns. Bien-Aime put the Blue and Gold on the board with a 31-yard scoring scamper at the 9:11 mark of the opening quarter.
Anerella rushed in for Pace's second score, capitalizing on a short field created by Langhorne's forced fumble. Anerella dashed in from six yards out to give the home team a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Pace added on to their lead in the third quarter courtesy of a 21-yard connection from Anerella to DeVere.
Millersville cut into the three-score deficit in the third quarter. Kobe Miranda rushed in from two yards out to make the score 21-7.
Pace's final score of the night provided a 28-7 edge with 2:22 left in the third quarter. Anerella tossed a perfectly placed jump ball to Mason for the score.
The visitors made things interesting in the fourth quarter, but the Setters' defense came up with a pair of crucial stops late in the fourth quarter.
After Millersville cut the lead to just eight points with 5:14 left, Mendez put together a key forced fumble (recovered by Millersville) and a game-ending sack with less than 30 seconds left.
Up Next
Pace will look for two triumphs in a row when they go on the road to take on Assumption next Friday night.
