Saturday, September 20, 2008

MONMOUTH DEFEATS BRYANT 30-17 SATURDAY
Bulldogs Travel to Wagner Next Saturday

BOX SCORE

SMITHFIELD, R.I. (9/20/08)   -- Senior running back David Sinisi rushed for 171 yards on 26 carries and scored twice as visiting Monmouth earned its first victory of the season defeating Bryant University 30-17 in non-conference football action Saturday before 2,107 at Bulldog Stadium.

Monmouth (1-3) got on the board first as quarterback Brett Burke found John Nalbone for a 6 yard score on the Hawks' second drive of the game.  But Bryant would come right back as quarterback Jay Graber engineered a 12-play, 81 yard drive capped by a Jarrett Solimando 5 yard touchdown reception to tie the game up at 7-7 in the first.  It was Bryant's longest scoring drive of the season.

A Fred Weingart 20 yard field goal and a 3 yard touchdown run by Bobby Giles in the second quarter gave the visitors a 17-7 halftime lead.

Bryant (2-2) managed to trim the lead thanks in part to a 19-yard field goal by Chris Bird, but Sinisi and the Hawks put the game away in the fourth with two quick scores, the second coming on a big defensive stop. Sinisi scored the first of his two rushing touchdowns on the day with a 2 yard run up the middle at the start of the final quarter to make it 23-10. 

Looking to counter, the Bulldogs moved the ball deep into Monmouth territory thanks an impressive 10-play drive.  But with the ball on the Hawks' 8 yard line, Graber was intercepted by linebacker T.J. Cerezo in the end zone for a touchback and the Bulldogs came away empty-handed.

Three plays later, Sinisi broke through for a game-clinching 70 yard touchdown run down the middle to make it 30-10 and the Hawks never looked back.  Sinisi entered the game averaging 133 yards rushing . 

Graber finished with 261 yards passing on the day and two touchdowns.  Anthony DiNaso caught 5 passes for 70 yards while Ross Giffune and Solimando also added five catches for 45 and 42 yards receiving respectively.

 Bryant will travel to Staten Island next Saturday to face Wagner College at 1 p.m. Monmouth visits Robert Morris next Saturday at 1 p.m.