NEWPORT, R.I. (Sept. 30, 2023) – The USMMA football team lost on the road at NEWMAC opponent Salve Regina, 35-17, on Saturday at the Seahawks' Toppa Field at Freebody Park. The defeat drops the Mariners to 3-1 (1-1 NEWMAC) on the season, while SRU improves to 4-1 (2-0 NEWMAC) with in victory.
 
Game Link

• Box Score 

The Mariners held a 17-7 lead halfway through the second quarter, but the Seahawks went on to score 28-straight points for the win. Salve Regina held the advantage in total offensive yards on the day with 474 (165 rushing and 309 passing) compared to Merchant Marine's 309 (166 rushing and 143 passing).
 
Sophomore defensive back Caleb Green (Flower Mound, Texas) led the Mariners with eight total tackles, while senior Thomas Joyce (Taunton, Mass.) and junior Braden Layne (Millersville, Md.) both had six stops apiece, Layne with one for a loss of three yards. Seniors Joseph Franco (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Teddy Brunger (Indialantic, Fla.) both recorded five tackles, with Brunger having his hand in 1.5 tackles for combined losses of 12 yards. Sophomore James Gleeson (Atlanta, Ga.) recovered a fumble in Seahawk territory that turned into the Mariners' second TD of the day just two plays later.
 
Offensively, sophomore QB Gervy Alota (San Diego, Calif.) connected on 8-of-14 passes for 98 yards with sophomore McClain Stoklosa (North Charlestown, S.C.) leading all receivers with five catches for 55 yards. Senior fullback Ceaser Gonzalez (Norco, Calif.) led the Mariners' ground game with 47 yards and had the opening touchdown of the day. Classmate Cole Simmons (Montrose, Colo.) ran for 42 yards and had USMMA's second and final TD. Junior kicker Jackson Tinkis (Bossier City, La.) converted a 29-yard field goal to open the scoring on the day and was 2-for-2 on extra points.
 
For Salve Regina, junior quarterback Jake Stack passed for 309 yards on 19-of-24 completions. Senior receiver Marcelino La Bella hauled in five catches for 160 yards and three touchdowns from 73 yards, 29 yards and 35 yards. It was his 29-yarder late in the second quarter that started the Seahawks' streak of 28-straight points that made it 17-14 still in favor of the Mariners, which it remained into the halftime break.
 
SRU accounted for all the scoring the second half with three touchdowns – La Bella's third and a pair of four-year rushing TDs by sophomore Thomas Cea Jr., who finished the day with 97 yards on the ground.
 
Defensively, sophomore Jonathan Melisi led all players in the game with nine tackles, while also breaking up two passes. Senior Zachary Ludemann was one of three Seahawks with eight tackles, including a game-high three for losses. The Salve defense also recorded two interceptions – one late in the second quarter and the other late in the fourth.
 
Up next, the Mariners will travel up to Northfield, Vt. next weekend to take on NEWMAC foe Norwich University. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Cadet's Northfield, Vt. Live links to follow along will be posted on the USMMA Football Schedule Page.
 
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