PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – It came down to the final seconds at Northwell Stadium between the Pace University football team and the University of New Haven, but the Chargers escaped with a 17-14 win on Saturday.

The game marked the conclusion of the 2023 football season for Pace, who finished with a record of 3-7 overall and a conference record of 2-5.

New Haven scored first, utilizing a 62-yard punt return to start the drive on the Pace six-yard line. The Setter defense held strong, and only allowed them to gain two yards and kept them out of the endzone, forcing the Chargers to settle for a 21-yard field goal.

The next drive for UNH ended in a miss field goal to keep the lead at 3-0, a lead that would remain unchanged until the second quarter when Daelen Menard hit Dev Holmes in stride at midfield for a 76-yard touchdown pass to take a 10-0 lead.

Pace got the ball with 4:09 left in the half and pieced together a strong drive that was capped off by Aidan Kennedy finding Brandon Sobotker on a wheel route for an 11-yard touchdown catch to make the score heading into halftime, 10-7.

Pace grabbed the lead in the third quarter thanks to a 34 yard punt return by Teddy Harper to give the Setters prime real estate on the New Haven 15. This time, it was Dominic Nicolo who was on the receiving end of a Kennedy touchdown pass to take a 14-10 lead.

UNH looked primed to regain the lead on the ensuing drive, getting the ball all way down to the Pace three and after a pass break up, which was almost intercepted, by Anthony Holmes to set up a fourth and goal on the three. Joshua Tachie-Mensah stood strong and had a breakup of his own to preserve the lead and force a turnover on downs.

Following another big punt return by Holmes, which put the Chargers on the Pace 6 with 3:43 left, Pace did succeed in keeping them out of the endzone for three plays, but the Chargers found the endzone on fourth and one on a QB sneak to take a 17-14 lead.

Pace started its final drive with 1:51 left and got right to work, making good progress down the field, getting all the way to the New Haven five-yard line, but Dylan Squillacioti's game tying kick went just right of the post to send UNH home with the win.

Kennedy finished 14-25 with 164 yards and two touchdowns. Holmes and Tachie-Mensah each recorded seven tackles while Cade Saunders and Jack Romer each had six.