PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Pace University Football saw its unbeaten Northeast 10 Conference run come to an end Saturday afternoon, falling 42-14 to Bentley University at Northwell Stadium. The Setters moved to 5-3 overall and 4-1 in NE10 play, suffering their first conference defeat of the 2026 season.
Pace opened the contest with a promising drive, advancing 40 yards to the Bentley six-yard line before an interception ended the scoring opportunity. The Falcons capitalized on the turnover, marching 80 yards for the game's opening touchdown midway through the first quarter.
Bentley extended its advantage with three second-quarter touchdowns, including a 36-yard fumble return, to build a 28-0 lead.
The Setters responded with a 10-play, 73-yard scoring drive late in the first half. Luke Porcaro connected with Kyler Robinson for a 23-yard gain on third down, while Ethan Lopez and Joe Fleming helped move the ball downfield. Fleming capped the possession with a 10-yard touchdown run, putting Pace on the board before halftime.
Bentley added another touchdown early in the third quarter, but the Setters answered with their longest scoring drive of the afternoon. Pace marched 75 yards across 16 plays, taking 9:23 off the clock before Porcaro found Gary Wilkins for a three-yard touchdown pass.
The Falcons added their final touchdown early in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.
Fleming led Pace with 73 rushing yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, while Jhamier Howard added 50 yards and Lopez contributed 40. The Setters finished with 161 rushing yards, outgaining Bentley's 93 on the ground.
Defensively, Ali Seidou led the Blue and Gold with 12 tackles and two pass breakups. Travis Osterhout, Giovanni Downer and John Eubanks each recorded eight tackles.
The Setters also received a strong special teams contribution from Decker McNally, who averaged 44.2 yards on four punts, including two of at least 50 yards.
The Setters will look to bounce back on Saturday, Nov. 7, when they travel to New Haven, CT, to face Southern Connecticut State University. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. as Pace enters the final two games of its regular season with NE10 postseason positioning still at stake.
