PLYMOUTH, N.H. - The New England College football team fell to Plymouth State University on Saturday, 28-14, as the team kicked off their year two campaign up in Plymouth, New Hampshire.
The Pilgrims and Panthers met in the season opener for the second straight season after the two teams met last year in NEC's first official game back to the gridiron. After Plymouth took last year's game 49-21, the 'Grims defense played hard while holding the Panthers to 28 points on 261 scrimmage yards.
At the center of the NEC defensive effort was junior Ethan Cenesca (Manchester, N.H.) who led the team with 13 total stops, including four-and-a-half tackles-for-loss and a sack. Junior Levi Madison (Concord, N.H.) added an interception in the second quarter, senior Hollis Jones (Bow, N.H.) tallied a sack in his Pilgrim debut while sophomore Gavin Philbrook (Goffstown, N.H.) added eight total tackles.
The hosts put together a pair of scoring drives in the first quarter, doing most of their damage on the ground while jumping ahead, 14-0. NEC responded with a strong drive of their own to start the second quarter, but a missed field goal kept them off the board. PSU scored their third touchdown of the game with just eight seconds left in the first half and added another with their first drive of the third quarter to take a 28-point lead.
The 'Grims responded with a lengthy 10-plus minute drive which was finished off with a six-yard plunge by junior Fire Anderson (Cranford, N.J.) for the team's first touchdown of the season. Anderson had 31 of his 54 rushing yards on the day on the scoring drive. Sophomore Aidan Hughes (Brockton, Mass.) subbed in at quarterback and connected with sophomore Conrado Lago (Methuen, Mass.) for three first down grabs.
After forcing a three-and-out and a poor Panther punt, the Pilgrims started their next possession at the 50-yard line. The seven-play drive was capped off by an 18-yard catch and run by Lago from Hughes for the score with 6:48 left in the game.
The NEC defense forced a Plymouth turnover-on-downs in the final minutes of the fourth quarter on a big tackle-for-loss shared by Cenesca and junior Jayman Jones (Manchester, N.H.). The offense ran out of time in the fourth, however, as the final horn sounded to the tune of a 28-14 final.
Hughes went 7-for-11 from the pocket for 63 yards while throwing his first career touchdown and two interceptions. Junior Jack Lombardo (Medford, Mass.) started under center, going 8-for-12 with 35 passing yards. Lago was the team's top receiving option with six grabs for 49 yards and the score.
NEC continues their non-conference schedule next Saturday as they travel to Cambridge, Massachusetts for a matchup against MIT at 12:00 PM.
For continuing coverage of New England College Athletics, visit athletics.nec.edu and follow the Pilgrims on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
