WEST CHESTER, Pa. American International College junior quarterback Kevin Arduino (Cornwall, N.Y.) rushed for his 21st touchdown of the season, but the Yellow Jackets fell in the first round 0of the NCAA Division II tournament to West Chester, 38-7.
With the loss AIC finishes their impressive season 9-3 overall.
AIC won the toss and deferred the opening kickoff. The Rams returned that opening kick 54 yards to the AIC 44 and used just four plays to get on the board 7-0.
On the ensuing kickoff, freshman Evan Graham (Springfield, Mass.) returned it 68 yards to the Ram 11 yard line where junior Maurice Easterling (Yonkers, N.Y.) and Arduino worked the last 11 yards on the ground before Arduino punched it in from inches out.
With junior kicker Jared Hulsey's (Springfield, Mass.) extra point the Yellow Jackets had tied it up at 7-7 not even four minutes into the game.
The two would hold each other the rest of the first. American International won the possession battle8:44 to 6:16 in that first frame.
From then on out it was all WCU. Ram quarterback Sean McCartney completed a 42 yards TD strike to Eddie Elliot to put his team up 14-7 and with 19 seconds left on the clock he made it a two-possession game with a 31 yard pass to Erick Brundidge.
The score gave the Rams clear control and came out in the second with the same power, connecting for two more scores and a field goal.
After AIC's opening drive, WCU forced seven punts and two forced over on downs. They also picked off Arduino in the second, stalling Yellow Jackets momentum and seizing control.
The Rams did a good job of keeping the potent AIC rushing attack stalled. Easterling could only manage 36 yards, Arduino just 17.
Junior receiver Stephan Davis (Selden, N.Y.) caught five passes for 54 yards. Arduino threw 17-for-28 for 167 yards.
Senior linebacker Joel Bowen (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led the Yellow Jacket defense with 11 tackles, eight solo, while defensive back Daquan Holmes (Troy, N.Y.) also tallied 11 tackles.
Junior Jaquawne Simpkins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) made five tackles and picked off McCartney. Also getting ahold of a Ram pass was senior Shaquille Leggett (Syracuse, N.Y.).
AIC ends a terrific season that saw them in the NCAA's for the first time since 2008.
