SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Oct. 28, 2023) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy football team lost its road NEWMAC contest up at Springfield College, 21-14, on Saturday at the Pride's Stagg Field. The setback drops the Mariners' record to 6-2 (4-2 NEWMAC), while Springfield improves to 7-1 (5-0 NEWMAC) with the victory.
 
Game Link

• Box Score 

The hosts wasted little time getting on the scoreboard with a 68-yard touchdown on the fourth play of the game. After the Pride were able to turn the Mariners over downs on their first drive of the game, the teams traded punts for the next six possessions.
 
Springfield doubled its lead with 9:50 remaining in the second quarter on a 28-yard score to cap off a seven-play, 73-yard drive.
 
Merchant Marine would respond in impressive fashion, manufacturing a 21-play drive that chewed up over nine minutes off the clock and covered 75 yards. The Mariners converted four fourth downs on the drive, the last coming on 4th-and-goal as senior Ceaser Gonzalez (Norco, Calif.) plowed in from a yard out to make it a 14-7 game with 48 seconds left in the half.
 
The USMMA defense was able to keep Springfield off the board despite the Pride having the ball for over 12 minutes in the third quarter, but the hosts found the end zone for the third time on the day on a five-yard score just over a minute into the fourth.
 
Springfield's defense came up with a big stop thanks to a quarterback hurry on 4th-and-12 from midfield to force the visitors off the field with 5:15 remaining in the game. The Mariners would regain possession with just over three minutes left in regulation and junior Talsen Smith (Roseville, Calif.) was able to get behind the Pride defense for a 70-yard strike down the sideline from senior Ben Carney (El Paso, Texas) to make it a one-score game with 2:13 to play.
 
The Mariners attempted an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, however the Pride were able to jump on the ball, and then two plays later a 28-yard run up the middle was all the hosts needed to run out the remaining time.
 
Sophomore quarterback Gervy Alota (San Diego, Calif.) finished the day passing for 75 yards on 6-of-18 completions, while Carney had the one pass which Smith caught for the 70-yard score. Smith hauled in five catches for 111 yards. Gonzalez was the Mariners' leading rusher with 64 yards.
 
On defense, freshman Aidan Graham (Allen, Texas) had a team-high nine tackles and one forced fumble. Four Mariners recorded one tackle for losses each – seniors Teddy Brunger (Indialantic, Fla.) and Noah Kunce (Elk Grove, Calif.), junior Jack Temple (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) and freshman Zatyk Holub (Mount Vernon, Iowa). Kunce's was on a sack in the first quarter.
 
For Springfield, Arsen Shtefan totaled a team-best 134 yards on the ground and Blane Hart recorded 119 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Aiden Lewin paced the Pride with 13 tackles, DJ Brown added 12 tackles, while Billy Carr notched five stops, including a pair of sacks.
 
After a bye week for finals week at Kings Point, the Mariners will close out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 11, up at arch-rival Coast Guard in the annual Secretaries' Cup. Action is slated to get underway at 12-noon, with the game slated to be streamed live on ESPN3 once again. The links to follow along will be available on the USMMA Football Schedule Page.
 
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