Back-to-Back! Pioneers Beat LIU 38-14 for NEC Crown

Saturday, November 20

Brooklyn, NY

12:00 PM

Sacred Heart

8-3 , 6-1

LIU

2-8 , 2-5

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Sacred Heart	7	17	14	0	38
LIU	7	0	0	7	14

Back-to-Back! Pioneers Beat LIU 38-14 for NEC Crown

11/20/2021 4:08:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Sacred Heart wins third title in four years.

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – For the second time in seven months, the Sacred Heart University football team hoisted the Northeast Conference trophy. The Pioneers went on the road to defeat LIU, 38-14, on Saturday to claim its second championship in a row and third in the last four years.

Records:
Sacred Heart: 8-3, 6-1 NEC
LIU: 2-9, 2-5 NEC

Top Performers:
Julius Chestnut (SHU) 125 yards, 14 rushes, 1 TD
Malik Grant (SHU): 127 rushing yards, 2 TD; 24 receiving yards, 1 TD
DeAndre Byrd (SHU): 5 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 FR

Up Next:
The Pioneers now wait to find out who they will play in the FCS Championship. The selection show is set for Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

Of Note:
Sacred Heart won the first NEC Championship game in April by defeating Duquesne, 34-27. In 2018, the Pioneers shared the title with the Dukes, but Duquesne won the tiebreaker to go to the postseason.

The game swung in SHU's favor during the second quarter as the Pioneers scored 17 unanswered points to take a 24-7 halftime lead. Sacred Heart marched 99 yards – with all 99 on the ground – including a 40-yard run by Malik Grant followed by Julius Chestnut's 39-yard touchdown run.

On the ensuing drive, LIU fumbled the pitch on the option and DeAndre Byrd was there to make the recovery. One play later, Grant scampered home from 36 yards out.

Right before the half, kicker Sam Renzie banged home a 49-yard field goal, the longest in school history. He beat the mark of 46 set by Josh Freiria against Dartmouth on October 14, 2017.

Sacred Heart would add two more scores in the third quarter as Marquez McCray connected with Kenneth Womack and Grant caught a seven-yard touchdown pass for his third touchdown of the game.

His first score was set up by an Alaam Horne interception at the Sacred Heart 33-yard line. On the drive, Womack caught a 19-yard pass and McCray picked up 18 yards on the ground. A 13-yard pass to Rob DiNota got the Pioneers at the LIU four-yard line before Grant went in for the score.