Plymouth, NH-The Panther’s football team lost an upsetting game at home last Saturday afternoon, falling to Western Connecticut State University 35-3. The lopsided loss puts PSU at 1-2, with a 0-1 record within the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, while WCS improved their record to 2-0.
The game began with a coin toss courtesy of Plymouth State President Sara Jayne Steen, which jumpstarted the inaugural MASCAC game for both Universities. After winning the toss Plymouth State deferred, allowing them to receive the ball during the start of the second half.
The opening quarter remained quiet until Senior Captain Jake Matthews (Windham, NH) had an early interception off Western Conn’s Will Arndt. The interception proved to be one of the few big plays of the quarter, as the score stood at 0-0 going into the second.
After a slow start, the Panthers got something going when they capped of an 8 play, 29-yard drive with a 35 yard field goal by Junior kicker Rob Giles (Derry, NH) putting his FG total to 3-3 on the season. Western Connecticut answered back quickly after a three minute, 70 yard drive that was finished when Senior RB Tory Mack scored from ten yards out. Western Connecticut decided they weren’t finished in the second quarter when Arndt completed a 7-yard touchdown pass, putting WCSU up 14-3 going into halftime.
West Conn. dominated the second half behind the running game of Junior RB Octavias McKoy who posted 165 yards and three second half touchdowns on the ground for the Colonels. After holding Western Connecticut to only 14 points in the first two quarters, the Colonels went up quickly on the Panthers, dropping 21 unanswered points within the final two quarters. PSU was unable to counter WSC’s high scoring offense, losing by a final score of 35-3.
Plymouth State’s Andrew Foglia (Montauk, NY) was held to just 34 rushing yards, being the first game of the season that he was not able to eclipse 190 total yards. Jake Matthews was once again a leading tackler on the Plymouth side, while grabbing his first take away of the season.
The Panthers look to get back on track when they travel to UMass Dartmouth (0-2) for a 4:00 pm Saturday afternoon game. Western Connecticut State will host Framingham State in is home opener.