PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Scoring their most points in a game since 1987, the Pace University football team collected their first home win of the season in dominant fashion, defeating Stonehill 51-30 on Saturday. The Setters improve to 3-2 overall on the season and are now 2-2 in conference play.
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Inside the Numbers
*Recording more than 450 yards for a second consecutive game, the Setter offense was firing on all cylinders throughout the day.
Carlton Aiken (Gibbstown, NJ/Paulsboro) had another stellar performance, completing 17-of-his 20 pass attempts for 240 yards and four touchdowns. He added 48 yards on the ground, and was credited with a receiving touchdown on his own pass that was deflected.
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*Pace ran for 221 total yards on the ground with three different rushers finding the endzone.
Jhalen Bien-Aime (Dorchester, MA/Bridgton Academy) led the attack with 138 yards and a touchdown, while Aiken and
Kashmier Jackson (Sterling, VA/Potomac Falls) also collected rushing TDs. Bien-Aime is now 18 yards shy of breaking the program's all-time career rushing record.
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Adrian Rybaltowski (Howell, NJ/Freehold Township) was Aiken's favorite target, hauling in five receptions for 133 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a career-best day.
Phyll Thomas (New London, CT/Bridgton Academy) collected his first touchdown of the season on a 40-yard completion.
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*Defensively, the Setters won the turnover battle by a 3-1 margin.
Isaiah Williams (Newburgh, NY/Newburgh Free Academy) and
Harrison Moran-Fernandez (Union City, NJ/Union City) each had interceptions, while
Mike English (Arlington, MA/Arlington/Bridgton Academy) forced a Stonehill fumble that was recovered by
Kadeem Langhorne (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin). Five different Setters recorded five or more tackles, with Langhorne leading the way with seven.
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*The 51 points scored was the most by the Setters since 1987, when Pace scored 53 against Trenton State.
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How it Happened
Aiken set the tone in the first quarter, finishing off Pace's first two drives of the day with touchdowns. He capped off a 10-play, 82-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run before catching his own pass and running into the endzone to put Pace ahead 14-0 heading into the second quarter.
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The Skyhawks and Setters traded field goals to begin the second. After
Pat Davis' (Forked River, NJ/Lacey Township) 37-yard kick, Moran-Fernandez got Pace the ball back two plays later with his interception. The Setters would find the endzone again four plays later off of a two-yard Bien-Aime run. The Skyhawks responded before halftime with a touchdown of their own, sending Pace to the locker room up 23-10.
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Momentum swung in favor of the Skyhawks in the third, as Stonehill opened up the half with two straight touchdowns to pull ahead 24-23. The lead would be shortlived, as Aiken hooked up with Rybaltowski on a 55-yard touchdown four minutes later. A successful two-point conversion put Pace ahead 31-24 entering the fourth.
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The Setters scored three straight touchdowns in the final quarter to put the game away. Aiken found Rybaltowski again nine seconds into the quarter on a 59-yard strike to extend Pace's lead to 38-24. On the Blue and Gold's next drive, Aiken found success with the deep ball again, connecting with Thomas on a 40-yard touchdown. Jackson would deliver the final blow of the day with a 17-yard run with 2:27 left in regulation. Â
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Up Next:
The Setters return to action on Oct. 13, hitting the road to take on Bentley.
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