Sophomore Jareed Gaines filled the stat sheet with six tackles, including three for a loss of 17 yards, a sack, fumble recovery and interception to lead a strong defensive showing at Pace today. (PHOTO BY Robert Klein)

Skyhawks defense holds Setters to 135 yards of offense for first shutout in nearly two years

Stonehill held Pace to just 135 yards of total offense with 49 rushing and 86 passing in posting its first shutout since a 35-0 victory over Saint Anselm College on November 1, 2008. The Skyhawks allowed just nine first downs, forced four turnovers, including three interceptions, while committing only two themselves as they compiled 307 yards of offense with 163 coming on the ground and another 144 through the air.

Junior linebacker Cameron Marston (Gloucester, Mass./Gloucester) led the Stonehill defensive attack with a career-best seven tackles (five solo), including three for a loss of 14 yards, a sack for a loss of eight and a forced fumble. Sophomore defensive back Jareed Gaines (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) filled the stat sheet with six tackles (four solo), including three for a loss of 17 yards, with a sack for a loss of 12, a fumble recovery and interception. Freshman Tim Bennett (Fillmore, Calif./Saint Bonaventure) posted six stops (five solo) and an interception, while junior Matthew Iannucci (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) finished with five tackles (three solo) an interception, pass break up and 0.5 tackles for a loss of two yards.

Senior running back Eddie Vachon (Newton, Mass./Blair Academy) paced the Stonehill offense as he carried the ball 25 times for 122 yards and a school-record matching four touchdowns. He finished with 195 all-purpose yards on the day, adding one reception for 25 yards, a kick return for 22 yards and a 26 yard punt return. Vachon, who now has a school-record 31 career touchdowns, including a record 24 on the ground, became Stonehill's all-time leader in carries on his first touch of the afternoon, finishing the game with 552 for his career. He enters next weekend's game just 26 yards shy of Tyrone Jefferson's career rushing yardage record of 2,701 yards.

Senior running back Eddie Vachon matched a school record with four rushing touchdowns as the Skyhawks improved to 8-1 in his career when surpassing 100 yards on the ground. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr).

Freshman quarterback Logan Meyer (Ventura, Calif./Saint Bonaventure) completed 10-of-24 passes for 140 yards and an interception, adding another 29 yards on the ground on eight carries for 169 yards of total offense. Sophomore John Gomes (Hyannis, Mass./Barnstable) caught five passes for 68 yards.

Freshman quarterback Ryan Kasdorf (Newhall, Calif./Notre Dame) completed 7-of-18 passes for 72 yards on the afternoon for Pace. Sophomore Patrick Lupfer (Mineola, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) caught four passes for 22 yards, while freshman Jordan Raynor (Browns Mills, N.J./Pemberton) had a team-high 21 yards rushing on six carries to go with 2-for-8 passing for 14 yards with three interceptions. Senior running back Jason Washington (Bronx, N.Y./Mamaroneck), who had 150 yards rushing the first time these two teams met earlier this season, was held to just eight yards on 12 carries today.

Both teams struggled to get their offense going in the early stages, with Stonehill breaking the deadlock with five minutes to play in the first half as Vachon capped a seven play, 39-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run. He set up the drive with a 26-yard punt return to the Pace 39. Sophomore Jermetrius Troy (Mattapan, Mass./Tilton School) started the drive with an 18-yard run.

Junior Cameron Marston had a career-best seven stops, including three for a loss of 14 yards, a sack and forced fumble this afternoon.

Stonehill took advantage of two Pace turnovers in the second half to help break the game open. Iannucci picked off a Raynor pass on second and ten from the Pace 22 at the 46 and returned it 12 yards to the 34. Vachon scored five plays later with a 16-yard run with 2:08 left in the third quarter. Vachon added another 16-yard scoring run 3:01 into the fourth quarter to cap an eight-play, 52-yard Stonehill drive. He had 44 all-purpose yards on the drive, adding a 25-yard reception to his scoring run.

Stonehill sealed the win just 23-seconds later when Marston forced a fumble by Kasdorf on first down that was recovered by Gaines at the 24 and returned to the Pace 20. Vachon rushed the ball in on first down from 20-yards out to cap the scoring with 11:36 to play. Vachon's four rushing touchdowns match the program's single-game record set by Michael Strachan against Merrimack College in 1989 and also matched by Tyrone Jefferson against Assumption College in 1998.

Stonehill's defense allowed Pace past its 45 yard line just once on the afternoon when the Setters opening drive of the second half stalled at the Skyhawks 38 on downs. Pace didn't get past its 46 the rest of the day.

Stonehill (3-3, 1-3 NE-10) is back in action next Saturday when it hosts Southern Connecticut State University as part of Family Weekend at the College at 1 p.m. The game will be part of Breast Cancer Awareness Day at the Skyhawks home athletic events that day. Fans are encouraged to wear pink and will be able to donate to cancer research at W.B. Mason Stadium. Pace (0-6, 0-4 NE-10) travels to Bentley University next Saturday at 2 p.m.