Football | 9/17/2022 4:49:00 PM
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. - In a tightly-contested game, special teams can make a big difference. That statement is especially true in a challenging road game. Kicker Corey Lichtman drilled three field goals through the uprights, and the Pioneers turned in two key stops inside their own ten yard line defensively to provide enough leverage to prevail in a close game. The Pioneers held off a comeback bid by host Western New England to win by a 23-21 score in a non-conference football game at Western New England's Golden Bear Stadium.
The Pioneers win their first road game of the year to improve to 3-0. Western New England falls to 1-2.
It was a largely even-handed affair with two balanced offenses. Western New England held a 425-397 edge in total offensive yardage, including a 264-238 advantage in passing yards, and a 161-159 yard advantage in rushing. The Pioneers held the ball for 33:21, and forced the home team to turn the ball over three times.
Quarterback Braeden Zenelovic completed 16-of-27 passes for the Pioneers for 238 yards and a touchdown to Nate Palmer. Palmer finished his day with 124 yards on six catches, five of which were from the first half. Senior wideout Travis Decker made three catches for 44 yards, while sophomore tight end Tyler Kolenda made three grabs for 33 yards. The Utica rushing attack was led by Matt Brantley's 87 yards on just ten carries.
Senior defensive end Jimmie Warren led the Utica defense with thirteen total tackles, senior linebacker Anthony Fasano added ten to his name to go with a sack, and Terrance Toussaint added nine to go with an impressive three pass breakups and a forced fumble. The defense held Western New England to just eighteen completed passes on thirty eight attempts.
Lichtman's 50 yard kick ties the school mark set by Denis Avdic in a 2009 win at Anna Maria College. The five longest field goals in program history have all been kicked in road games. At the start of Saturday's action, Lichtman's kick would be the third-longest in the nation so far this season.
Western New England was led by a 92 yard receiving game from De'Andre Harris, and a pair of touchdowns from Dillon Kohl.
Neither team collected a first down until the fourth series of the matchup, when the home team struck first on the scoreboard. The Golden Bears drove their way down to the Utica 6, but it was certainly a bumpy ride for the home team. With the Pioneers locking down the Western New England receiving corps, the home offense faced a fourth down situation at the Utica 37 yard line. Millerick successfully bailed his team out with a scramble of 27 yards to the Pioneer 10. However, Utica had the last word defensively by holding Western New England to an uninspired 23 yard field goal. Anthony Novello had a key stop with an open field tackle on third down, while Terrance Toussaint and James Prastio broke up passes prior to Millerick's improvised scamper.
With the defense generating a last-ditch stop, the Pioneers turned that energy over to their offense. Zenelovic set up the score on a four play, 59 yard drive with a 53 yard heave down the right side to Palmer, who was wrapped up just short of the goal line. Two plays later, it was Zenelovic with his first rushing touchdown in Utica colors. Corey Lichtman's kick was on target for a 7-3 Pioneer lead with 3:32 remaining in the first quarter.
Utica's defense came through with a three-and-out, and got the ball back into visiting hands with around two minutes to go in the first quarter. The Pioneers clawed their way across midfield, and overcame an untimely penalty to set up their field goal unit at the Western New England 33 for a historic field goal attempt. Lichtman drilled a 50 yard field goal to tie a thirteen year-old school record, and put the Pioneers up 10-3.
The special teams came up big on the next series to ensure Utica remained in front. On the eighth play of the next series, Millerick hit Dillon Kohl through the air on a 55 yard scoring connection for the Golden Bears to draw the score to a 10-9 Utica advantage. Jamel Smith blocked the extra point try for the Pioneers to hold that one point lead with 9:48 left in the half.
The Zenelovic-to-Palmer connection delivered again with 6:58 to go before the half. Utica set up their next score with a 41-yard pass to Palmer to land on the edge of the red zone. Brantley picked up 11 yards total on the next two rushing plays, and Sam Florio added a rushing yard to mark Utica just outside the home 10-yard line. Zenelovic cashed in on the advanced position with an 11 yard bullet to Palmer on an inside slant for the score, and the kick was good for a 17-9 lead.
The defense dug in to stand firm on a three-and-out, with the Golden Bear punt fielded at midfield. The Pioneers converted the field position into more points. After a near-miss on a Zenelovic pass to a wide open Brantley in the front of the end zone, the Pioneers brought on Lichtman for a successful 32 yard field goal try that extended the Pioneer lead to 20-9 with 4:01 on the second quarter clock.
The Golden Bears embarked on an enterprising no-huddle drive to close the half. Starting at their own 25 yard line, the home team marched all the way down to the Utica 28 before biting off more than they could chew on offense. Veteran defensive back Dan Amady came up with a massive interception at the Utica two-yard line, and returned it to his own 32 to provide some breathing room and help the Pioneers preserve their 20-9 lead into halftime. Utica ended its final series of the half with an interception as time expired.
Utica led Western New England by a 215 to 178 margin in total yards at the break. Nate Palmer had five catches for 111 yards and a touchdown through two quarters to ensure a third straight 100 yard receiving game to open the season. John Stroughn had a team-best five tackles.
Another huge stand at the goal line by the Utica defense set the tone to start the second half. Karstetter led the way for Western New England on a pass-heavy drive that got all the way to the Utica 6 yard line. On a fourth down and one situation from that spot on the field, Daryl Savage and Jimmie Warren wrapped up Millerick for no gain to get a massive turnover on downs in a tough spot.
The Western New England defense scooped up a big play of their own on the ensuing drive to stop the Pioneers from pulling away. Fueled by a Matt Brantley carry of 46 yards, the Pioneers used a well-calculated and diverse blend of run plays to make their way to the home 30. With the yardage coming in large chunks, the visiting team tried to make a statement by reaching into their bag of tricks, but a pass attempt by Palmer was intercepted inside the WNEU 5 yard line to get the home squad out of a jam.
The teams traded punts on their next two series to close the third quarter without a score. As the fourth quarter opened, the home team cashed in on the lull to pull within a touchdown. The Golden Bears finished a seven play, 71 yard drive with a 26 yard rushing touchdown from Dillon Kohl. The two-point conversion try was intercepted, and Western New England cut their deficit to 20-15 with just under a quarter to play.
Utica inherited the ball and went on a clock-eating series for their first possession of the fourth. The Blue and Orange chewed up almost seven minutes on a fourteen play, 62 yard drive, and took a 23-15 lead on a 26 yard field goal by Lichtman with 7:50 to go.
The Western New England offense used a long stretch of time on the sideline to their advantage, as they countered with a frantically paced touchdown drive to pull within two points. On the sixth play of a 72 yard scoring drive, Karstetter connected with De'Andre Harris on a 43 yard pass. Terrance Toussaint forced Harris to fumble, leaving the ball for Western New England's AJ Hall to recover and score the touchdown. The ensuing two-point conversion try would have tied the game, but the pass failed and Utica held on to a 23-21 lead with 6:18 left.
The Pioneers forced a turnover on downs on Western New England's final possession, and ran out the clock to secure the non-conference road victory. Utica's next game will be at Union on Saturday, September 24th.
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