Plymouth, N.H.— Homecoming wasn’t so sweet for the home team, as the Panthers were unable to put any points on the board against the UMass Dartmouth on Saturday afternoon at Currier Field, leading to their second consecutive home loss, and first in the Boyd Division opener. The visiting Corsairs grabbed the victory, 16-0 on the September 24th contest, which was played under overcast skies.
Both teams showed aggression throughout the contest that never wavered. This was especially evident when the Panthers brought the ball to the Corsair 19 yard line only six minutes into the first quarter, yet were stopped on 4th and 3 by the Corsairs. The defensive stop for UMD set the tone for the remainder of the game, as PSU would collect only 116 yards offensively.
In the middle of the second quarter, UMD struck first with a 4-yard touchdown pass thrown by junior quarterback Patrick Orlando to classmate Brendan McNeish. The half ended with missed opportunities from both teams and no additional points.
Orlando added to the visitor’s score in the final five minutes of the third quarter with a three-yard run up the middle. With a missed extra-point kick, the score remained 13-0, until the fourth quarter when UMD scored again. Junior kicker Edgar Osols tacked on the final three
“Obviously, things didn’t quite go our way, and there were some mental and physical mistakes that hurt us in the long run,” said senior defensive back and kick-returner Christian Mulcahy (Norwich, Conn.). “Before we continue playing as we have the past few weeks, we need to correct the mistakes we have made and get better at the things we are doing right.” Mulcahy was a part of a defense that became PSU’s workhorses as they continually tried to stop the visiting offense from gaining yards. Senior linebacker Nicolas Keene (Auburn, Maine) recorded 10 tackles, the most for the home team all game.
Plymouth State drops to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in NEFC Boyd Division, while the Corsairs improve to 2-2 overall (1-0 in Boyd Division). The loss also ends the Panther’s six-game winning streak over UMD. PSU will head to Dudley, Mass. this Saturday in hopes of ending their losing skid as they face off against divisional opponent, Nichols College.