Football Preview: Salve Regina hosts Becker

OCTOBER 6 | 12 p.m. TOPPA FIELD • NEWPORT, R.I.
BECKER HAWKS (0-4, 0-0 CCC)	SALVE REGINA SEAHAWKS (2-3, 0-1 CCC)
SERIES Seahawks lead, 1-0 LIVE STATS http://www.salveathletics.com/ LIVE VIDEO http://bit.ly/2M4BOsm AUDIO ONLY http://bit.ly/14B30Gy DIRECTIONS http://bit.ly/2PGwnBX

NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University football team welcomes Becker College to Toppa Field for a Commonwealth Coast Football Conference matchup Saturday afternoon to complete a four-game homestand.

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LAST TIME OUT: Western New England University used a potent ground attack and a stout defensive effort to earn a 41-14 victory over Salve Regina University on Saturday afternoon in the Commonwealth Coast Football opener for both teams at Toppa Field. Junior running back Peter Hoff spearheaded Western New England's strong offensive showing, as he broke out for a career-high 204 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries. Junior quarterback Alec Coleman completed 17-of-30 pass attempts for 203 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, while also rushing five times for 18 yards and one score. Early in the fourth quarter, the Golden Bears looked to add to their advantage with a 34-yard field goal attempt by Angelo Martino, but the kick was blocked by Salve Regina junior Nicholas Poillucci and returned 77 yard for a touchdown by sophomore Matt Sylvia to cut the Seahawks' deficit to 13 (27-14). The home team would get no closer, however, as Western New England answered with an eight-play, 69-yard drive that culminated in a seven-yard touchdown throw from Coleman to Cain that restored the Golden Bears' 20-point cushion (34-14).

SEAHAWKS NOTES FROM THE NEST

• OUT OF THIS LEAGUE: With a 2-2 mark in non-league games in 2018, the Seahawks have gone 10-4 in their last 14 such games.
• CLASS MAKE-UP: Salve Regina class breakdown is - seniors (13), juniors (21), sophomores (27), and freshmen (34).
• LEAGUE LEADERS: Brandon O'Neill (6.0), John Salute (4.5) lead all CCC players in sacks; Matt Sylvia (5) shares the lead in interceptions with Princewell Iwejuo of Nichols and Tommy Ganley of Western New England.
• TOP 20 AT TOPPA: The Seahawks have scored at least 20 points in four of their five home games since returning to Toppa. Most points ever scored by Salve Regina football at Toppa? (56-0 over Gallaudet on Sept. 18, 1993). 
• STATE YOUR CASE: The state-by-state breakdown for the Seahawk roster is - Connecticut (15), Maine (1), Massachusetts (33), North Carolina (1), New Jersey (25), New York (10), Pennsylvania (1), and Rhode Island (9).
• CAPTAINS: A trio of Seahawk defenders will serve as captains in 2018. Tyler D'Errico, Brandon O'Neill, and John Salute will lead the 2018 squad.

HAWK EYE VIEW

• LAST TIME OUT FOR BECKER: The Becker College football team lost 42-15 to visiting Dean College on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field on Homecoming Weekend. A one yard touchdown run by David Collins gave the Hawks a 15-6 lead late in the second quarter, but it would be the last time they found the endzone. Dean scored 36 unanswered points and turned the Hawks over six times including five interceptions to comeback for the victory.
• ROOKIE STANDOUTS: The Hawks have had two players earn CCC Defensive Rookie of the Week this season. Linebacker Marshell Ricketts made a huge play on the defensive end in Becker's homecoming game against Dean on Saturday, recovering a fumble in the end zone off a botched punt attempt for the Hawks' first touchdown of the contest. Materrence Holloway helped spark Becker's near-upset of visiting Worcester State University in the Hawk's home opener, with two giant plays. First in the second quarter, Holloway recovered a botched snap on a Lancer field goal attempt and returned it 75 yards for the Hawk's first touchdown of the season. Later in the same quarter, Holloway stalled a Worcester State drive with a key interception. Additionally, Holloway had four tackles (three solo, one assisted) and one pass breakup.
• MAN IN THE MIDDLE: This year, the Hawks returned senior linebacker Michael Bianco who was tabbed the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Football Defensive Player of the Year in 2017. He was also named to the New England Football Writers Division III All-Star team. Bianco posted a single-season school record 119 tackles, along with 12.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, four pass breakups and five interceptions.

INSIDE THE SERIES
This is the second meeting all-time between Salve Regina and Becker. The Seahawks won the first ever meeting last season 55-0 in Leicester, Mass.

WHAT'S NEXT?
After completing a four-game homestand at Toppa Field, Salve Regina will enjoy a bye-week before traveling to face Curry College on October 20 at 1 p.m. The Hawks host Nichols College on October 13 at 12 p.m.