FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University football team was held to just 179 total yards as the Pioneers suffered a 27-0 loss at the hands of Duquesne University Saturday afternoon in Northeast Conference (NEC) action.
Records:
Sacred Heart: 1-8, 1-5
Duquesne: 5-3, 4-0
Top Performers:
Offense –
Rob McCoy: 11-of-23, 82 passing yards
Jalen Madison: 16 carries, 70 yards
Aboraa Kwarteng: 6 receptions, 46 yards
Defense –
DeAndre Byrd: 9 tackles
Nick Foglia: 9 tackles
Marques Mason: 4 tackles, 1 interception
Mike-Lee Joseph: 1 tackle, 1 interception
Of Note:
Duquesne kept Sacred Heart out of the red zone all day and was in the visitors' territory twice, getting as close as the 36-yard line in the second half. The Pioneers were shut out for the first time since a 6-0 loss to Lafayette College on September 2, 2022.
Duquesne kicked off the scoring less than two minutes into regulation as Darius Perrantes found DJ Powell in the end zone for the four-yard touchdown before a Brian Bruzdewicz extra point gave the visitors a seven-point advantage, 7-0.
Four drives later, Duquesne struck again, this time from Bruzdewicz, who put the ball through the uprights for the 33-yard field, putting the Dukes up 10-0.
The second quarter started with Dukes adding three points to their lead, 13-0, following a 34-yard field goal from Bruzdewicz.
Sacred Heart began to show life midway through the stanza by marching up the field and converting twice on third down, but solid defensive work from the Dukes forced another punt from the Pioneers.
Shortly after, the duo of Perrantes and Powell struck again, with Powell making the 59-yard catch for the touchdown, followed by a Bruzdewicz extra point, bringing the Dukes ahead 20-0 heading into halftime.
Sacred Heart's defense responded in the third quarter as
Mike-Lee Joseph kept the Dukes from scoring by intercepting Perrantes' pass in the end zone on a third-and-10. From there, the Pioneers' offense went back to work, but despite a converting on a fourth-and-nine, the Pioneers had to punt.
On the next drive of the game, Duquesne increased its lead to 27-0 after moving up the field 75 yards on a six-play scoring drive, which resulted in a 33-yard rushing touchdown from Edward Robinson, followed by a Bruzdewicz made extra point.
The Dukes' defensive unit continued to silence the Pioneers for the remainder of regulation, forcing the hosts to punt twice.
Up Next:
Sacred Heart closes out NEC play on Saturday, November 4, with a home showdown with intrastate foe Central Conn. St. University on Senior Day. Game time is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at Campus Field.
