Box Score
West Haven, Conn. – Penalties cost the American International College football team on both sides of the bal as the Yellow Jackets dropped a 28-25 decision at the University of New Haven Saturday afternoon in a Northeast-10 contest. The Changers improved to 3-3 overall and 2-3 in the NE-10, while AIC fell to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
The Yellow Jackets appeared to be on their way to completing a come-from-behind win with a first down at the New Haven 23-yard line in the closing minutes of the game, but was called for two penalties that essentially ended the drive. AIC was flagged for a false start on first down and was then flagged for holding on what would have been 17-yard reception for a first down for senior wide receiver #
Kertis Hussey# (Paterson, N.J.) on second and 15.
Senior quarterback #
Shane Murphy# (Bogota, N.J.) then connected with senior running back #Amadeus Guerroro-Pou# (Westwood, Mass.) on a 17-yard catch and run, but the play was well short of a first down and the Yellow Jackets turned the ball over on downs with 53-seconds to go in the game.
AIC trailed 14-10 after a 25-yard field goal from senior kicker #
Dan Bassani# (Naples, Fla.) and was about to get the ball back after a Charger missed field, but the Yellow Jackets were called for being offside, giving New Haven fourth-and-one from the 10-yard line. The Chargers decided to for it and sophomore quarterback Ryan Osiecki (Seymour, Conn.) found sophomore wide receiver Demetrius Washington-Elli (Rahway, N.J.) in the end zone for a 10-yard score that gave the Chargers a 21-10 lead with 1:46 left in the third quarter.
The Yellow Jackets answered on their next drive when Guererro-Pou pounded the ball in from two yards out and the two-point conversion made it a one-possession game at 21-18. Guerrero-Pou's run was setup by a 29-yard reception for sophomore fullback #
Trevor Perryman# (Centereach, N.Y.), who then caught the PAT pass from Murphy.
New Haven answered right back as sophomore wide receiver Shariff Hall (Brockton, Mass.) took the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to give the Chargers a 28-18 lead with 1:42 into the fourth quarter.
AIC had great field position two drives later after holding New Haven inside its own 20-yard line and a poor punt gave the Yellow Jackets the ball at the UNH 36. Murphy later hit a diving Hussey on third-and-seven for a 25-yard scoring play and the conventional PAT made it a 28-25 game with 6:17 left on the clock.
The Yellow Jackets took an early 7-0 lead when Murphy connected with junior wide receiver #
Davon LeGrier# (Paterson, N.J.) on a 61-yard bomb with 7:35 to go in the first quarter. The score remained that way until the Chargers put together a 12-play scoring drive that was capped by a one-yard scoring run for sophomore running back Victor Jones (Paterson, N.J.) with 35 seconds left in the first half.
New Haven opened the second half scoring after LeGrier fumbled the opening kickoff and freshman safety Lenroy Neysmith (Meriden, Conn.) recovered at the AIC 38-yard line. Osiecki later found Washington-Elli for a 16-yard score to give the Chargers a 14-7 lead 3:17 into the second half.
Murphy played well in his first start in over two years, completing 22-of-38 passes for 278 yards and two TDs in place of the injured #
Rob Parent# (West Warwick, R.I.), who's held the starting job since Murphy suffered an injury in AIC's 2007 season-opener at Bryant.
Hussey caught six passes for 75 yards with one score and LeGrier had four catches for 91 yards and one TD. Hussey now ranks fifth-all-time at AIC with 1,989 career receiving yards and is just 11 yards from becoming the program's fifth 2,000-yard receiver.
Osiecki finished the game 23-of-31 for 219 yards and had two touchdowns and Washington-Elli had five catches for 55 yards and two scores.
The Yellow Jacket defense was led by junior linebacker #Terrance Holley# (Bronx, N.Y.), who had eight tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Senior defensive lineman #Jayshawn Williams# (Roosevelt, N.Y.) and sophomore defensive back #
Max Brown# (Paterson, N.J.) had seven tackles each. Williams also had a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss on the afternoon.
AIC will look to bounce back when it hosts Merrimack October 24 at Ronald J. Abdow Field. The Northeast-10 contest will kick off at 1 p.m.
