MANCHESTER, N.H. – In one of the most dramatic games of the season to date, the Pace University Football (0-5, 0-2 NE10) battled through adversity, rallied from multiple double-digit deficits, and nearly pulled off a stunning road victory before falling, 31-29, to Saint Anselm College on Saturday afternoon.

Playing in front of a crowd of more than 1,300 fans at Grappone Stadium, the Setters delivered a relentless fourth-quarter surge, highlighted by three touchdowns in the final 12 minutes, but saw the contest slip away on a last-second field goal.

The opening half proved difficult for the Blue and Gold, as Saint Anselm jumped ahead 13-0 in the first quarter and later stretched the lead to 16-0. Still, Pace found momentum late in the second quarter when the defense forced a turnover and quickly turned it into points. Quarterback Ethan Coady connected with Elizjah Lewis on a 35-yard touchdown strike, narrowing the gap to 16-6 at the break and setting the stage for a spirited second half.

After the Hawks extended their edge to 22-6 midway through the third quarter, Pace responded with a nine-play, 51-yard drive capped by a 33-yard field goal from Marc Malandruccolo. The kick made it 22-9 and gave the Setters renewed energy heading into the decisive final period.

The fourth quarter belonged to Pace for much of the frame. Coady engineered an 80-yard drive early in the stanza, finding Jhamier Howard from three yards out to pull within 22-16. Minutes later, Anthony Robinson capped another march with a one-yard plunge to give the Setters their first lead of the day, 23-22, with just under seven minutes left.

Although Saint Anselm briefly reclaimed the advantage with a touchdown, Pace answered again. On a seven-play, 71-yard drive, Coady connected once more with Lewis—this time for a 29-yard score with only 1:40 remaining—sending the Setters back in front, 29-28, and silencing the home crowd.

In the end, the Hawks pieced together a final drive of their own, converting a 31-yard field goal with nine seconds left to escape with the narrow win, leaving Pace just shy of an NE10 road victory.

Coady finished the day 25-for-44 through the air, tallying 281 yards and three touchdowns. Lewis was the star on the outside, hauling in six receptions for 144 yards and two scores. Robinson anchored the ground attack with 88 rushing yards on 10 carries, highlighted by a 29-yard burst to set up a score.

Malandruccolo continued his steady play in the kicking game, drilling a 33-yard field goal and hitting both of his extra-point attempts.

Defensively, Travis Osterhout paced the unit with 12 total tackles, while Kyle Weeks registered 11 stops and forced a fumble.

Pace University will be back on the road next Saturday, October 4, traveling to West Haven, Conn., for a Northeast-10 Conference matchup against the University of New Haven. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.