NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The American International College scored 34 unanswered points, 28 of which were in the second half, as it recorded a 34-7 Northeast-10 victory at Southern Connecticut State University Saturday afternoon at Jess Dow Field.

The Yellow Jackets improved to 5-1 overall and 5-0 in the Northeast-10 with the win, while the Owls fell to 2-5 overall and 2-3 in conference play.

After a scoreless first quarter it was SCSU that got on the board first when senior wide receiver Willie Epps (Norwalk, Conn.) pulled in a 39-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Jacob Jablonski (Gales Ferry, Conn.) five minutes into the second quarter, and the PAT gave the Owls a 7-0 lead. SCSU got the ball at their own 49 yard-line after forcing AIC to punt from inside its 10, giving the Owls a short field for their only score of the day.

The Yellow Jackets tied the game on the ensuing possession when sophomore running back Hunter Beckman (Shrewsbury, Mass.) broke free for a 59-yard touchdown run with 7:03 left in the first half and the successful try after made it 7-all.

AIC just missed out on a pair of potential first half scores as sophomore quarterback Kevin Arduino (Cornwall, N.Y.) was picked off by sophomore defensive back Dion O'Joe (Waterbury, Conn.) at the SCSU one-yard line with 4:44 left in the first quarter and was then intercepted in the end zone by freshman defensive back Malcolm Crosson (Glastonbury, Conn.) with eight second remaining in the second.

He made up for those miscues in the second half as he ran for one touchdown and threw for two more in the as the Yellow Jackets pulled away for their fifth straight win.

Arduino capped off AIC's first drive of the third quarter with a 34-yard touchdown run to give the Yellow Jackets a 14-7 lead with 8:22 left in the period. It was the first of three Yellow Jacket touchdowns in a span of just 3:23.

Southern Connecticut went three-and-out on its next possession and AIC needed just 1:21 to go 46 yards for a touchdown. Arduino finished off the drive with a five-yard score to sophomore tight end Gary Farley (Blue Point N.Y.) with 5:24 left in the period.

Freshman defensive back Darion Chappel (New York, N.Y.) then picked off Jablonski on the first play of the ensuing drive and returned the ball to the Owls' 28-yard line. The Yellow Jackets then pulled a play out of their bag of tricks as junior running back Terrell Williams (Hempstead, N.Y.) tossed a 28-yard score to junior wide receiver Cal Brownridge (Newark, N.J.) on the next play from scrimmage. The PAT was no good, giving AIC a 27-7 lead with 4:59 left in the third.

The Yellow Jackets capped the scoring on their second drive of the fourth quarter as Arduino ran a seven-play, 65-yard drive that he ended with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Brownridge with 7:47 to go in the game.

Arduino was 12-of-22 for 227 yards and two touchdowns through the air while gaining an additional 71 yards and a third score on the ground. Williams had 18 carries for 123 yards to go with his 28-yard touchdown pass, and Beckman totaled seven carried for 104 yards and a score. Brownridge finished with five catches for 105 yards and two TDs.

Jablonski completed 21-of-38 passes for 231 yards and one score, and Epps finished with eight catches for 104 yards and one touchdown. Sophomore running back Jack Mallis (Windham, Maine) gained 69 yards on 17 carries.

Sophomore linebacker Will Garcia (Naples, Fla.) led the AIC defense with eight tackles (three solo), while sophomore defensive back Carron McCluney (Hillside, N.J.) registered seven tackles (six solo) and recovered a fumble. Freshman linebacker Demetrius Steed (Boston, Mass.) had six tackles (four solo), while senior defensive back Markell Rice (New Rochelle, N.Y.) recorded five tackles (four solo) with two tackles for loss and had one interception.

Former Yellow Jacket Mike Dunkley (Yonkers, N.Y.) led the Owls with nine tackles (eight solo) and one interception. Senior linebacker Nathan Tyler (West Hartford, Conn.) and junior defensive lineman Tyler MacDowell (Glastonbury, Conn.) added seven tackles each.

AIC entered the game as the eight-ranked rushing offense in Division II at 293 yards per game, good for the top spot in the NE-10, before pilling-up 343 yards on the ground against SCSU. The Yellow Jackets finished the game with 598 yards of total offense while holding the Owls to 337.

AIC will return home next Saturday, October 20, when it hosts Bentley University. The Homecoming Weekend game will kick off at 1 p.m. at Ronald J. Abdow Field.