Football Drops Final Home Game 24-14 To UNH
GAME STATS
ALBANY, N.Y. – On a celebratory night honoring both the nation's veterans and the squad's 10 seniors, the University at Albany football team suffered a 24-14 defeat to the University of New Hampshire after falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter. With the loss, the Great Danes fell to 3-7 overall and 2-5 in conference play, while the Wildcats improved to 6-4 on the season and 4-3 in the CAA.
“Our effort level is good. I thought the kids competed after a little bit of a rough start,” said Head Coach Greg Gattuso. “We just had a couple penalties that hurt us, a couple missed field goals. We got ourselves into a hole.”
UAlbany totaled 360 yards of offense led by freshman quarterback Neven Sussman's 136 passing yards (9-23-1) and 75 rushing yards with a touchdown run. Freshman running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks led the ground game with 86 rushing yards on 13 carries, while redshirt freshman Elliot Croskey totaled 58 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Redshirt sophomore Brad Harris recorded a team-high three receptions for 63 yards.
Defensively, redshirt freshman DaSharnte Thompson logged a career-high 12 tackles, including nine solo, and recovered a fumble. Jamal Robinson also topped his career-best with 11 tackles (10 solo), while Jamal Merritt brought down nine (8 solo), forced a fumble, and picked off a pass for 12 yards.
New Hampshire racked up 467 yards of offense, piloted by quarterback Sean Goldrich's 301 passing yards (32-51-2) with a touchdown toss, and running back Dalton Crossan's 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The Wildcats jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead, driving 67 yards on their opening possession capped by Crossan's 1-yard touchdown run.
On the kickoff, Dione Alston returned the ball 75 yards to the UNH-25, setting the Danes up in great field position. However, UAlbany was unable to turn it into points, missing a 26-yard field goal wide left.
At the other end of the field, UNH hit a 25-yarder to take a 10-0 advantage with 4:02 remaining in the first quarter.
UAlbany looked to get on the board again with just under 10 minutes to go in the second with a 40-yard field goal attempt, but it sailed wide left again amidst cold and blustery conditions.
Merritt handed new life to the Danes, intercepting Goldrich's pass, giving UAlbany the ball on the UNH-26. But UAlbany failed again to turn good field position into points, missing a 43-yard field goal attempt with 8:17 on the clock.
Both defenses kept the opposition off the board for the rest of the half, sending the Wildcats into the break with a 10-point advantage.
Driving 85-yards on 10 plays, UAlbany broke onto the board with four minutes left in the third quarter on Croskey's 8-yard scamper into the end zone, cutting the margin to three, 10-7.
However, the Wildcats answered back with consecutive scores, first on Crossan's 1-yard rush that capped a six-play, 58-yard drive at the 1:21 mark in the third. Jordan Powell followed with a two-yard touchdown reception from Goldrich with 12:59 left in the game, giving UNH a 24-7 lead.
UAlbany continued to scrap, putting together a solid 70-yard drive on seven plays, ending with Sussman's 1-yard rush to make the score 24-14. But, that would be the final score as the defenses shutdown any further output.
“The fight's there,” said Gattuso. “I'm proud of our effort, but it's not enough. It's time to grow up and be a big boy CAA member and start winning these games.”
Up next, the Great Danes close the 2015 campaign at Stony Brook with the annual “Empire Clash.” Kickoff on Saturday is set for 1 p.m. at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.
