The Pride of Springfield College ran roughshod over Salve Regina University on Saturday, crushing the Seahawks 31-7 in a NEWMAC clash at Toppa Field. With a relentless ground attack and a defense that refused to bend, Springfield extended its undefeated record to 7-0 (4-0 NEWMAC), keeping its ranking in the AFCA Division III National Poll firmly intact.
Salve Regina (4-3, 3-1 NEWMAC) kept things interesting through three quarters, entering the fourth down by only 10. But a costly fumble at the Pride’s 31-yard line and another turnover on downs crushed any hopes of a Seahawks comeback.
Springfield set the tone early with a 56-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jacob Silvester to Sean Brown, who sprinted out of the backfield and found daylight behind Salve’s secondary. The Pride doubled down in the second quarter, as Silvester carved up the field on a 50-yard dash, putting the Pride up 14-0. A 21-yard field goal by Ian Wernik closed out a dominant first half with Springfield up 17-0.
The Seahawks found a glimmer of hope in the third, mounting a seven-play drive capped by a two-yard plunge from Jacob Hernandez. Nathan DiRado’s extra point made it a 10-point game, but Salve’s offense stalled afterward, as Springfield’s defense, led by Joe Maurer’s three interceptions, kept them in check.
In the final minutes, Silvester broke free again, racing 48 yards to the end zone to make it 24-7. Running back Arsen Shtefan added insult to injury with a 17-yard score in the closing moments, as Wernik’s perfect day on PATs sealed the final score.
Salve Regina couldn’t crack Springfield’s iron wall, which allowed just 133 passing yards while the Pride’s punishing rushers rolled to 354 yards on the ground. Shtefan tallied 135 rushing yards, with Silvester close behind at 123 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Billy Carr and Nick Gonzalez were relentless, combining for 22 tackles to anchor Springfield’s shutdown.
This game marked the fourth straight win for Springfield in the all-time series, including last year’s Homecoming thriller where Salve’s comeback bid fell short, 31-21. The Seahawks, who managed a single touchdown after halftime, face SUNY Maritime next Saturday, hoping to recover from this setback and finish their season strong.
FINAL
Springfield 31, Salve Regina 7
QUARTER-BY-QUARTER BREAKDOWN:
- 1st Q: 56-yard TD pass, Silvester to Brown, Springfield up 7-0
- 2nd Q: 50-yard TD run by Silvester, 14-0
- 2nd Q: Wernik 21-yard FG, 17-0
- 3rd Q: Hernandez 2-yard TD run, 17-7
- 4th Q: Silvester 48-yard TD run, 24-7
- 4th Q: Shtefan 17-yard TD run, 31-7
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