RINDGE, N.H. (September 21, 2019) – In front of a packed house, the Franklin Pierce University football team kicked off their Northeast-10 Conference schedule during homecoming weekend with a 52-7 setback to Pace University Saturday evening on Sodexo Field. With the win, the Setters move to 2-1 overall and the loss sends the Ravens to 1-2.

There was plenty of fanfare before the game as former track and field athlete CeCe Telfer '19 was awarded her national championship ring. Franklin Pierce University President, Dr. Kim Mooney '83 also participated in the coin toss before the teams kicked off.

The Ravens ground and pound offensive attack led to 156 yards rushing as freshman K.O. Gaskin (Lynn, Mass.) paved the way with 19 carries for 83 yards. Teammate Chazz Bryant (Clifton, N.J.) added 10 attempts for 42 yards and the lone Raven touchdown. Pierce outrushed the Setters 156 yards to 112 yards.

Pace had the more superior passing attack as quarterback Carlton Aiken threw for 275 yards and three TD's while Brandon Simmons added a touchdown of his own. Wide receiver Darius Jones hauled in six catches for 114 yards and a touchdown. For the Ravens Drew Campanale completed 17-of-21 (81%) passes for 156 yards and an interception.

On the defensive side, Pace tallied five sacks with James Day contributing a game-high 1.5 sacks. FPU was led by freshman defensive back Montel Johnson (Charles County, Md.) six tackles which included one defended pass.

Pace scored points on the Ravens first possession as the snap to the FPU punter went over his head and out of the back of the end zone for a safety. On the ensuing play following the kickoff, Aiken hit a wide-open Ramir Tann-Davis on a busted coverage for a 36-yard score to up the margin to 9-0.

Pierce strung together a solid drive with Campanale completing an 11-yard pass on second and seven and a Gaskin rush of 11 yards to move the ball close to midfield. They entered Pace territory for the first time as Lo Jackson (Columbia, S.C.) completed a seven-yard pass on third and five to set up shop on the Pace 44 yard line. Pierce couldn't keep the drive going as they turned the ball over on downs one first down later.

The Setters upped their lead to 12-0 on an 11 play 44-yard drive that took 4:38 off the clock. The turning point of the Pace march was a pass interference penalty on the Ravens giving Pace new life. FPU responded with a touchdown drive. Campanale completed a pass to Nathan Selby (Cambridge, Vt.) for 28 yards to the Pace 47 yard line. Campanale then rushed for 17 yards and Bryant gained nine on a rush combined with a personal foul. The Ravens were set up first and goal from the 10 and Bryant reeled off four yards and a six-yard touchdown to make the deficit 12-7.

Pace grew the lead to 20-7 off a 53-yard strike deep down the left side to Darius Jones with 8:07 left in the first half. They continued to move down the field added seven more points to their lead to go-ahead 28-7.

In the second half, the Ravens marched down the field chipping away yards as a Campanale to Lawson Laurent (Charlestown, R.I.) 19-yard connection put them in business at the Pace eight-yard line. A Gaskin slash of six yards on third and goal put the ball on the Pace two. FPU lined up to go for it on fourth down and was stopped losing three yards in a momentum-changing play. Pace tallied 24 points in the fourth quarter to ice the game.

The Ravens face a stiff test next week as they begin a two-game road trip at Assumption College next Saturday for their Pediatric Cancer Awareness Game with kickoff slated for noon.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://fpuravens.com). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (https://fpuravens.com/store). You can also follow the football team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Ravens_FB) and Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/franklinpierce_fb).