Utica College quarterback Vinny Aloi scored on a 20-yard scramble to tie the score with just 31.3 seconds to play, and Dan Tette converted a 19-yard field goal in overtime to lead the Pioneers to a 9-6 win over St. Lawrence University in the season opener for both teams on Friday night at Leckonby Stadium.
St. Lawrence took a 6-0 lead on a seven-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Tyler Grochot (pictured above) to Travis Marnell in the back corner of the end zone late in the second quarter.
"This was a good learning experience for our team," said head coach Dan Puckhaber. "We had opportunities to put this game away, and we didn't take advantage of them. Both teams made a lot of mistakes, which is something that happens in your first game of the season. But we didn't do enough to capitalize on our chances to score. We'll have plenty to things to look at in the coming days as we prepare for Norwich next week."
Neither team was able to get much going offensively in the early going. Utica had the first opportunity to strike after Antonia Scala intercepted a pass and returned it to the Saints' 7-yard line. Three straight rushing plays got the Pioneers to the 1-yard line, but Kyle Frimel stuffed Malcolm Stowe on a fourth-and-goal play to keep the game scoreless.
The Saints' offense responded to the stop with a 10-play, 99-yard touchdown drive that included an impressive 23-yard run for Darian Davis that got the Saints into the red zone. Two plays later, Grochot found Marnell for his first career touchdown pass, but Austin Pinard's PAT attempt was blocked, forcing St. Lawrence to settle for a 6-0 lead.
St. Lawrence's defense held the Pioneers to just 4-for-22 on third down conversions, and the Saints benefited from Utica's 22 penalties for 275 yards, to keep the Pioneers off the scoreboard through the third and most of the fourth quarter.
The Saints had a chance to extend the lead to two scores, getting the ball down to the Utica 2-yard line halfway through the fourth quarter, but turned the ball over on downs after three incomplete passes and a rush for a loss of one yard.
Aloi was 7-for-10 passing for 70 yards on Utica's final drive in regulation; the Pioneers used just 1:30 to travel 90 yards down the field to tie the game, but Maki Medici missed the extra point to send the game into overtime.
Utica won the toss and elected to defend, and Elijah Belle intercepted a pass into the end zone to end the Saints' overtime drive, setting up Tette's game-winning field goal.
Grochot finished the game 22-for-47 passing for 215 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Marnell made six catches for 64 yards and the touchdown, while Andrew Murphy made six catches for 53 yards. Matt Cognetta had 18 carries for 54 yards to lead the Saints' ground game.
Aloi was 27-for-51 for 232 yards passing. Peyton Miller (89 yards) and Stowe (70 yards) both had 10 receptions, and Stowe led Utica on the ground with 53 yards on 21 carries.
Amir Mells made 11 tackles to lead the Saints' defense, while Riley Cott had 10 stops. Tyler Mirabile had three sacks and four tackles for a loss and forced a fumble for St. Lawrence.
Dyland Sekuterski had seven tackles and one sack to lead the Pioneers.
St. Lawrence will defend the Hoffman Cup next weekend, with Norwich set to visit Leckonby Stadium on Saturday, September 8, at 1 p.m.