Salve Regina’s unbeaten run came to a halt Saturday as the Seahawks fell 28–14 to Springfield College in a hard-fought NEWMAC matchup at Stagg Field.
Trailing 20–14 late in the fourth quarter, quarterback Thomas Fallon (Freehold, N.J.) connected with Spencer Chapman (Needham, Mass.) on a 44-yard touchdown strike that pulled the Seahawks within one score with just under seven minutes remaining. But Springfield responded with a six-play, 70-yard drive capped by a touchdown and two-point conversion that sealed the game.
The Seahawks (4–1, 1–1 NEWMAC), ranked No. 1 in the Grinold Chapter New England Division III Coaches Poll for the second straight week, were blanked 13–0 at halftime before clawing back with a nine-play, 75-yard drive to open the second half. Fallon finished it himself with a seven-yard run after Justan Luzzi (Belleville, N.J.) ripped off a 28-yard rush to set up the score. Luzzi led all rushers with 92 yards on 14 carries.
Springfield (3–2, 2–0) dominated the trenches, pounding out 416 yards on the ground with seven different ball carriers and controlling possession nearly two-to-one. The Pride methodically wore down Salve’s defense, scoring in each quarter and stringing together long, clock-eating drives.
Fallon completed 17 of 29 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown, spreading the ball to seven different receivers. Middletown native Jacoby Smith caught two key passes on the Seahawks’ late scoring drive, while Chapman’s fourth-quarter grab gave Salve life before Springfield’s answer snuffed out the comeback bid.
Despite the loss, Salve Regina showed fight and flashes of big-play potential on both sides of the ball, highlighted by physical stops from Billy Schwanawede (Oradell, N.J.) and Dylan DeAngelis (Duxbury, Mass.) near the goal line.
The Seahawks will look to regroup during next week’s bye before hosting the Merchant Marine Academy on Saturday, Oct. 18, at noon at Toppa Field.
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