EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa.  – Playing a non-conference road game to begin the 2021 season, the Pace University football team was defeated, 35-14, at East Stroudsburg on Thursday night.

How it Happened
Following a 21-0 opening quarter, the Setters were on the comeback trail for the rest of regulation. A 35-yard connection between quarterback Carlton Aiken (Gibbstown, N.J./Paulsboro) and Ramir Tann-Davis (Paterson, N.J./Paterson Eastside) cut the deficit to just two touchdowns at the 5:05 mark of the second.

Tann-Davis struck again in the third quarter—this time on special teams. The New Jersey native took a kick-off return 94 yards for a touchdown to cut the ESU lead to 28-14.

Following Tann-Davis' return, the Setters' defense forced their lone turnover of the contest. Senior Dustin Huseinovic (Harrison, N.J./Harrison) stripped ESU's Jake Cirillo at the goal-line to earn a Pace touchback with 11:02 remaining in the third quarter.

Pace's offense was unable to capitalize on the momentum, however. The Setters' final four possessions of the game featured three punts and a turnover-on-downs.

Inside the Numbers
Tann-Davis posted a sensational stat line to begin his senior season. He finished the night with six catches for 147 yards and a touchdown, while also registering the 94-yard kick-off return touchdown.

Kashmier Jackson (Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls) served as Pace's top rusher on Thursday, picking up 43 yards on just seven carries.

Defensively, Huseinovic was all of over the field for the Setters. The New Jersey native racked up a team-high 11 tackles, in addition to forcing a fumble that turned into a touchback. He also landed four punts inside the ESU 20-yard line.

Junior Evan Townsend-Henry (Norwalk, Conn./King) registered a pair of tackles-for-loss, while ranking second on Pace with seven total tackles.

Up Next
The Setters will make their home debut next Friday night (Sept. 10) against AIC. It will be a 7 p.m. kickoff from Pace Stadium.