BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (October 12, 2024) – Long Island University held Stonehill College to a season-low 135 total yards, nearly half of which came on the Skyhawks lone touchdown of the afternoon, in securing a 31-7 victory in a Northeast Conference football matchup at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium this afternoon.
LIU limited the NEC's top rushing offense to 23 yards on the ground this afternoon to go with 112 passing, while the Sharks finished with 360 total yards, led by 241 total yards from sophomore quarterback
Ethan Greenwood in his first career start as he rushed the ball 26 times for 184 yards and a touchdown, while adding another through the air on 3-of-12 passing for 57 yards.
Senior
DQ Watkins led the LIU defensive effort with 1.5 sacks for a loss of nine yards, a forced fumble, fumble recovery, interception and quarterback hurry. Sophomore
JoJo Garcia posted a team-high five tackles (four solo), while junior
Liam McCormick contributed five tackle assists, including 1.0 for a loss of a yard, a half sack and quarterback hurry.
Senior running back
Pat Bowen added 67 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown, while senior
Michael Love posted 70 all-purpose yards with a 16-yard touchdown reception, 26 yards on two rush attempts, and 28 combined return yards. Postgrad
Jared Lewis chipped in with a touchdown for the Sharks as well.
O'Connell made his first career start at quarterback and fired a 66-yard touchdown to Chase Miller in the first quarter (PHOTO BY Bree Smith, '27)
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Junior
Jack O'Connell made his first career start at quarterback for Stonehill and completed 8-of-13 passes for 112- yards and a touchdown, adding another 16 yards on six carries for 128 total yards. Over half of his passing yards came on his first career touchdown pass when he connected with classmate
Chase Miller for a 66-yard score that knotted the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter.
Junior defensive tackle
Zack Athy totaled career-high nine tackles (one solo), including 1.0 for a loss of two yards, while sophomore
Charles Battaglia also tallied a career-best nine stops (one solo). Sophomore
Sidoine Djimbou chipped in five tackles (three solo) and two pass breakups.
Greenwood put LIU in front with 3:29 remaining in the first quarter with a 32-yard touchdown on fourth and two. Stonehill responded on the ensuing drive when Miller pulled in O'Connell's pass at the 35-yard line and escaped an LIU defender to race for his second touchdown of the season with 16-seconds to play in the opening frame
LIU pulled away from there, scoring 24 unanswered, starting with a pair of seond quarter scores to open a ten-point halftime lead. Greenwood connected with Love for a 16-yard touchdown with 9:18 remaining in the half, and then postgrad
Michael Coney delivered a 28-yard field goal for the Sharks with 57-seconds to play.
LIU pulled away with a touchdown in each quarter of the second half on lengthy drives as the Sharks controlled possession in the half 22:59-7:01. Bowen scored with a 14-yard touchdown run to extend the Sharks lead to 24-7 at the end of an 11-play, 70-yard drive that took 6:27 off the clock to start the third quarter. Lewis capped the scoring with 7:01 left in the fourth with a two-yard run at the end of a 14-play, 67-yard drive that consumed 9:32.
Noteworthy
