SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The American International College recorded its first shutout since the 2007 season as it blanked Pace University 42-0 Friday night in the Yellow Jackets first-ever night game at Ronald J. Abdow Field.
AIC improved to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in the Northeast-10 Conference, while the Setters fell to 0-4 overall and 0-3 in conference play. The last time the Yellow Jackets recorded a shutout was a 7-0 win at Pace October 20, 2007.
Junior running back
Terrell Williams (Hempstead, N.Y.) racked up over 200 yards on the ground for the second straight week for AIC, carrying the ball 16 times for 213 yards and three touchdowns. He opened the scoring with a 60-yard score on the Yellow Jackets' opening drive and the scored on a 12-yard run with 2:26 left in the first to give AIC 14-0 lead. His third score was a 26-yard run in which he broke several tackles on his way to the end zone 2:49 into the third quarter.
Sophomore quarterback
Kevin Arduino (Cornwall, N.Y.) completed 7-of-9 passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns. He hit senior wide receiver
Stephan Benjamin (Rosedale, N.Y.) for a 37-yard score 3:58 into the second quarter before finding junior wide receiver
Matt Brown (Kingston, R.I.) on a 21-yard score with 1:05 left in the first half Arduino found Brown again to cap the scoring on a 26-yard touchdown pass 4:03 into the third quarter.
Sophomore defensive back
Carron McCluney (Hillside, N.J.) and freshman defensive back
Darion Chappel (New York, N.Y.) had seven tackles each to lead AIC on the defensive side of the ball. Junior linebacker
Joel Bowen (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had five tackles (one solo) and one tackle for loss, while freshman defensive back
Mike Ford (Sammamish, Wash.) and freshman defensive back
Demetrius Steed (Boston, Mass.) had five tackles each. Ford also had an interception.
Senior linebacker Vince Romano (Davenport, N.Y.) and senior defensive back David Lopez (Ozone Park, N.Y.) had 11 tackles each (three solo) to lead the Setters. Senior linebacker Ryan Cuffe (Staten Island, N.Y.) added nine tackles (four solo).
Junior quarterback Jordan Raynor (Browns Mills, N.J.) completed 15-of-35 passes for 118 yards and was picked off two times for Pace, and had seven carries for an additional 26 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Cameron Davis (Ponte Verde Beach, Fla.) had five receptions for 42 yards.
The Yellow Jackets piled up 535 yards of total offense, gaining 382 of that total on the ground, while holding the Setters to just 217 yards of offense in the game.
AIC will next travel to Assumption College September 29 for a 1 p.m. Northeast-10 contest.
