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WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ -- JOHN DIPASQUALE (Kearny, NJ) threw two touchdown passes and CHRIS REED (Glassboro, NJ) ran for two scores as Monmouth University (2-4, 1-0 NEC) used a strong second quarter to defeat St. Francis College of Pennsylvania (0-6, 0-4 NEC), 33-14 before a Homecoming crowd of 3,461 at Kessler Field this afternoon.
ANTHONY GALELLA (Paramus, NJ) caught six passes, two for touchdowns as the Hawks scored a school-record 30 points in the second period as they scored on five of their six possessions in the quarter. Monmouth broke the old record of 27 set against Siena in 1996. DiPasquale threw for 186 yards and was 17-of-25 passes, including a school-record 15 straight completions during the first half. Reed, the state's leading scorer, rushed for 152 yards on 18 carries.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Hawks broke on top as Reed scored from five yards out to cap a 13-play, 68-yard march that consumed nearly seven minutes. DiPasqaule led the drive as he went 6-for-6 for 51 yards. Monmouth expanded its lead to 14-0 as DiPasquale and Galella hooked up on a perfect play-action pass with the former finding Galella wide-open on the right-sideline for a 32-yard scoring play. The touchdown was Galella's 40th catch of the season, a new Monmouth single-season record as he broke Marcus Winter's previous mark of 39 set in 1994.
A short punt set up MU's third touchdown as DiPasquale connected with DAVE MONRO (Matawan, NJ) on a short-pass and Reed picking up the final yardage on a 49-yard run, his longest of the season to give Monmouth a 20-0 advantage with 11:14 left in the half. Galella and DiPasquale struck again two minutes later on a 10-yard toss and the Hawks' scoring in the quarter concluded when CHRIS MANDELL (Mercerville, NJ) booted a 33-yard field goal with 1:13 to play.
St. Francis, which managed just 21 yards of offense in the first half, struck for two scores in the second half as JEREMY SWORDS (York, PA) and CHAD CONNORS (Scottdale, PA) teamed up for touchdown scores of 23 and 17 yards. Swords was 11-of-28 for 128 yards with Connors hauling in four catches for 60 yards. Freshman JOEY STOUDT (Basking Ridge, NJ) added the final points for Monmouth with a 31-yard field goal.
The Hawks, who have won five of the six meetings between the teams, rolled up 456 yards of offense, including 324 in the first half and 235 total yards on the ground. JOE TRAMUTOLO (North Arlington, NJ) rushed for 72 yards while punter DARRELL NICK (Lacey, NJ) boomed a 67-yard punt, setting a new Monmouth record. Defensively for Monmouth, VICTOR SMITH (Mount Laurel, NJ) and JOHN SCHULTZEL (Marlboro, NJ) had seven and six tackles, respectively.