Bulldogs Defeat Southern Connecticut 49-20
Box Score
September 2, 2006
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Senior Lorenzo Perry rushed for 190 yards and
school-record 4 touchdowns in leading Bryant to a 49-20 win over
Southern Connecticut in Saturday's opener. Photo by www.dspics.com
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SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Bryant University senior running
back Lorenzo Perry (Providence, RI) rushed for 190
yards on 33 carries and set a new school record with four rushing
touchdowns to help lead the Bulldogs past Southern Connecticut,
49-20 in the season-opener for both schools
Saturday. Perry, a preseason all-America, scored
two one-yard touchdown runs and added two 7-yard scores to lead the
Bulldogs who avenged last year's season-ending 77-35 loss to the
Owls.
Bryant led 14-6 at the end of the first quarter and led 21-12
following a Perry score to conclude a seven-play drive with just
over two minutes left to go before halftime, the Bryant defense
came up big just before the end of the half.
With the Owls driving in Bryant territory, sophomore cornerback
Bryce Martins
(Uncasville,
Conn.) intercepted a pass attempt
from SCSU quarterback Steve Armstrong
(Nutley,
NJ) on first down at the Bryant
38 and returned it 35 yards to the Southern 27 yard line with 34
seconds left in the quarter. Three plays later, Bryant
quarterback Charles Granatell (Franklin Lakes, NJ)
hit Kevin Anderson (Plainville, CT) with a
three-yard touchdown pass to give Bryant a 28-12 lead at the half.
Bryant would stretch its lead to 42-12 heading into the fourth
but Southern Connecticut, would open the fourth with a 13 play
drive capped by a one-yard score by Armstrong to make it
42-20. Brandon Toles
(Washington,
Md.) and Marcus Ganthier
(Bridgeport,
CT) helped key the drive with
power runs by Toles and sure-handed receptions by Ganthier.
Toles finished the day with 127 yards rushing on 22 carries while
Ganthier had a big day for the Owls with 11 receptions (one shy of
a school record) for 127 yards.
The Bulldogs would put the game away later in the fourth as
Chris Wohlheter (Newark, Ohio) intercepted an
Armstrong pass across the middle and returned it a school-record 75
yards for a score. Wohlheter would finish with eight
tackles. Senior Andrew McLarty
(College Park,
MD) had 13 tackles while Martins
finished with a career-best 10 tackles.
Armstrong finished the game with 212 yards on 25 for 34 passing
and was intercepted twice on the day. Matt McGrath
(Troy,
NY) had 13 tackles (five solo)
for Southern Connecticut.
Bryant will travel to American International College next
Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff in Springfield, Mass. Southern
Connecticut (0-1) will travel to Bentley next Friday night in
Waltham, Mass for a 7 pm start.
Postgame notes ...
* The win was Bryant's sixth-straight at home dating back to
last season (5-0 in 2005)
* Bryant is now 5-3 all-time in season-openers, 5-0 all-time
when the season opener is at Bulldog Stadium.
* Attendance was 3,820 Saturday, the 10th-most in Bulldog
Stadium history.
* Providing the musical entertainment Saturday was the
University of Rhode Island marching band.
* Perry eclipsed Bryant's record of three touchdowns in a game
set three times before ... Perry rushed for three touchdowns in
games against Southern Connecticut, Bentley, and Assumption last
season.
* Perry has rushed for a remarkable 10 touchdowns in the last
three games dating back to the final two games last season (Bentley
and Southern Connecticut).
* Chris Wohlhter's 75 yard interception return for a touchdown
passed the previous school record of 67 yards by Jesse Lewis
against Stonehill in 2003.
* Perry has tied Andre McLeod's career rushing touchdown record
of 20 TDs.
* The win over Southern Connecticut is the first since 2001,
snapping a four-game losing streak to the Owls.
