Red Hawks use big plays to outscore Seahawks

NEWPORT, R.I. (September 14, 2019) -- Salve Regina University junior Matt Sylvia (East Greenwich, R.I.) had a third-quarter interception, his second in first two games of season, but the Seahawks fell, 28-11, to visiting Montclair State University at Toppa Field. The Red Hawks even their record at 1-1 while the Seahawks drop to 0-2 in 2019.

Salve Regina's defense limited Montclair State to 13 first downs but the Red Hawks had four big plays each for at least 44 yards to score a 28-11 victory at Toppa Field. Junior quarterback  Ja'Quill Burch (Elizabeth, N.J.) threw for 292 yards and three long touchdowns as Montclair State bounced back from its season-opening loss. Junior Craig Merkle (Nutley, N.J.) rushed for a 71-yard touchdown as the Red Hawks (1-1) limited the Seahawks to 217 yards of offense in improving to 5-2 all-time against Salve Regina.

Burch found Carson Johnson (Asbury, N.J.) on the sixth play from scrimmage for a 47-yard scoring strike. Anthony Marinelli (Toms River, N.J.) made the first of his four PAT kicks for a 7-0 lead at 11:49 in the first quarter. On its next possession following a touchback on a Seahawk punt by starting quarterback Tyler McGovern (Attleboro, Mass.), Montclair State had an 80-yard pass play from Burch to Mike Manzo-Lewis (No. Arlington, N.J.).

On the first play of the second quarter, Angelo DiSanto (North Reading, Mass.) put the Seahawks on the board with a 29-yard field goal.

Kason Campbell (Elizabeth, N.J.) put the Red Hawks up 21-3 when he collected a 44-yard TD pass from Burch at 7:02 in the second quarter. The Seahawks produced two points on a safety after Dylan Budnik (Cranford, N.J.) blocked a punt on 4th-and-12 from the Montclair 23-yard line. The ball went out of the end zone with several Seahawks scrambling to pounce on it.

After a scoreless third quarter, Salve Regina pulled within two scores (21-11) after reserve quarterback Jack Maguire (Abington, Mass.) found Mike Nestor (Danvers, Mass.) over the middle for a 30-yard touchdown on a 4th-and-13 play. After a 57-yard punt by DiSanto pinned the Red Hawks on their own 29 with 3:08 left in the fourth quarter, Merkle iced the game with his 71 rush on 1st-and-10.

Merkle finished with 96 yards rushing while Johnson had 117 receiving yards, including a long of 53. Freshman Robert Gomes (Plymouth, Mass.) came off the bench to net 60 yards rushing, and Nestor totaled 63 yards receiving plus the one TD.

Zack Zaccone (Verona, N.J.) led the Red Hawk defense with nine tackles (six solo), including one for a loss of two yards, and an interception. For the second straight game, Matt Messner (Midland, N.J.) posted double-digit tackles (10, including seven solo).

Salve Regina (0-2) has its first road game next Saturday at Dean College in Franklin, Mass. (12 p.m.). Montclair State (1-1) is now off for the week and returns to action on Saturday, September 28 with another road game. MSU will be in Geneva, N.Y., to face Hobart College at 1 p.m.