Late rally comes up short for Seahawks in battle for the top

Courtesy of Springfield Athletic Communications

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - October 21, 2023 - The Salve Regina University football team put together a tremendous second-half rally after trailing 24-0 in front of a Springfield College homecoming crowd on Saturday, but the Pride held on for a 31-21 final in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play at Stagg Field.

Both teams entered the game with matching 5-1 records, including 3-0 marks in conference play, but it was the Pride that moved to the top of the conference standings now at 6-1, 4-0.  

The game marked the first time that Salve Regina and Springfield have played in 20 years as the Seahawks are in their first year in the NEWMAC. Springfield hung 31 points on the scoreboard, the most that the Seahawks have allowed this season as the visitors entered the game allowing just 8.0 points per game, the fifth-best in the nation. Springfield finished the contest with 387 yards of offense, including 352 on the ground, and was dominant in time of possession as they had the ball for 37:59 on the day.

Arsen Shtefan (West Hartford, Conn.) carried the ball 28 times for 139 yards and a score, while Jacob Silvester (Lancaster, Mass.) rushed for 60 yards and two scores and also threw for 35 yards and a touchdown. As a team, Springfield was 13-of-16 (81%) on third down and converted both of its fourth-down attempts.  Defensively, Aiden Lewin (Orlando, Fla.) totaled a team-best seven tackles, Billy Carr (Southington, Conn.) notched six stops, and Quinn Sweeney (Hanson, Mass.) turned in four tackles, including 2.5 for loss, while also breaking up a pass. 

The Pride forced a three-and-out to start the game and took over from the Salve 37 on their first drive of the game. Five plays later, Silvester would make a number of defenders miss on his way to a 21-yard touchdown run just four minutes into the contest.  The teams would trade turnovers to close out the quarter before a 46-yard punt from Salve pinned the Pride on its own three yard line to begin the second quarter. Springfield put together a punishing 18-play, 97-yard drive that lasted nearly 10 minutes and was culminated by Silvester connecting with Bradley Barcello (Weston, Conn.) through the air for a 18-yard strike with five minutes left in the half. 

The visitors lost the ball on the ensuing kickoff and Springfield was able to put points on the board when Christian Hutra (Holmes, N.Y.) knocked in a 25 yard field goal with under a minute to play. Salve would take its first offensive snap of the quarter with 45 seconds left in the stanza and go into the locker room trailing 17-0.

Barcello took the second half kickoff back 37 yards, and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty tacked on to the end of the play gave Springfield tremendous field position. Silvester would cap off a seven-play drive as he plunged in from a yard out to have the lead balloon to 24-0 at the 11:48 mark.

Salve Regina responded with a 10-play drive that lasted nearly six minutes and covered 79 yards as Jake Stack (Campbell Hall, N.Y.) fired in a 13-yard touchdown strike to Marcelino La Bella (Windsor, Conn.) across the middle. Following a successful two-point conversation through the air, it was a 24-8 contest with 5:46 to play. Salve recovered an onside kick and Stack found Jacoby Smith (Middletown, R.I.) for a nine-yard score on fourth down at the 2:39 mark. A failed two-point conversation brought the score to 24-14, but Springfield would make it a three-score game when it answered with a 15-play drive of their own that took over eight minutes. 

The Seahawks pulled within 31-21 when Stack found room up the middle for a four-yard rushing score at 6:32, only to have Springfield ice the game with a 12-play drive where they converted a trio of third downs to remain unbeaten in conference play.

Jake Stack completed 17-of-26 passes to nine different Seahawks - Marcelino La Bella (3), James Haveron (3), Jacoby Smith (3), Kyle Crampton (2), Josh Letellier (2), Jacob Perez, Andre Sullivan, Thomas Cea Jr., Ashton Dalessio.

Dennis Duffy had the lone takeaway for the Seahawks with a fumble recovery while Zachary Ludemann led all players with 13 tackles (eight solo). 

Salve Regina (5-2, 3-1 NEWMAC) goes back on the road to face Worcester Polytechnic Institute next Saturday at noon.