SMITHFIELD, RI – Bryant junior running back Lorenzo Perry (Providence, R.I.) rushed for a school record 313 yards on 40 carries as the Bryant University football team rallied back from a 12-0 deficit to defeat visiting Stonehill, 24-12 at a rain-soaked Bulldog Stadium on Saturday.  The win improves Bryant's record to 4-2 on the season (4-2 in the Northeast-10 Conference). 

The Skyhawks (3-3, 3-2 NE-10) led 6-0 at the half following a Mike Plichta (Milford, MA) 1 yard touchdown reception from freshman quarterback Cruz Parsons (Signal Hill, CA).   The pair hooked up for another 1-yard touchdown pass play to give Stonehill a 12-0 lead with 5:06 left in the third quarter. 

Perry, who had 108 yards rushing at the half, put the Bulldogs on the board with a 17-yard touchdown run with 2:32 left in the third to make it 12-6 following the failed extra point attempt.  The Bulldogs would pull even midway through the fourth quarter as Kevin Anderson (Plainville, CT) bulled his way in from the 7 yard line to make it 12-12 following another failed PAT. 

Bryant's defense forced Stonehill to punt on its next possession, setting up the go ahead score by the Bulldogs.  Starting from their own 28 yard line, Bryant put together seven-play drive capped by a Charles Granatell (Franklin Lakes, NJ) 5-yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs an 18-12 lead.  Perry helped key the drive with a 45-yard run to the Stonehill 30.
 
Starting from their own 23 yard line with just 2:53 left on the clock, Stonehill's Parsons was sacked for a loss of 11 yards by James Lewis (New Haven, Conn.) on the Skyhawk's first possession.  On the very next play, Lewis intercepted Parsons to help seal the victory. 

Perry broke Austin Martin's 1999 record of 251 yards rushing in a game with 313 Saturday.  In addition, he broke the school record with 340 total yards of offense with 27 yards receiving to go with his rushing total.  His 40 rushing attempts were the second-most in school history while he also set a new school mark with eight rushing touchdowns on the season. It was his second 200-yard rushing game (Assumption). 

Parsons finished with 87 yards on 10 of 20 passing while Vincent Delaney (Baltimore, Md) had 20 tackles for the Skyhawks.  Bryant will travel to Saint Anselm next Saturday. 

Postgame notes: 

* Lorenzo Perry broke Austin Martin's 1999 record of 251 yards rushing in a game with 313 vs. Stonehill on Saturday

* Perry also set a school mark of 340 total yards, passing Tony Granieri's mark of 322 vs. Stonehill in 2001

* Perry's 42 offensive plays were the fourth-most in school history while his 40 rushing attempts were the second-most in school history for a single game.

* Perry's 313 yards were the fourth-most in Northeast-10 history. Kavin Gaillard of AIC holds the record with 347 against Bryant in 1999.

* Perry set a school record with 8 rushing touchdowns on the season, passing Andre McLeod's record of 7 in 2000. 

* Bryant is now 6-1 all-time against Stonehill

* As a team Bryant had 328 yards rushing (second most in school history) and 196 yards passing to set a new school record with 524 yards of total offense. 

* Bryant had the ball for 10 minutes, 40 seconds in the fourth quarter.