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WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ -- Senior running back CHRIS REED (Glassboro, NJ/Glassboro) scored four touchdowns and became the all-time leading rusher in Monmouth University history as the Hawks (4-4, 3-0 NEC) remained atop the Northeast Conference standings with a 57-7 rout of Sacred Heart Univiersity (1-7, 1-4 NEC) before a crowd of 2,879 at Kessler Field this afternoon.
With the win, the Hawks moved to 3-0 in the NEC and can clinch a share of its second conference crown in three years with a victory at Wagner next Saturday (November 7th). The 57 points by Monmouth set a new single-game record, surpassing the old standard of 51 set against Wagner at home in 1997.
Reed, the State of New Jersey's leading scorer (and fourth in Division I-AA), had all four TD's during a record-setting 36-point first half as Monmouth recorded its highest point total in its six-year history. He posted MU's first four touchdowns with runs of nine, five and three yards before hauling in a 22-yard pass from JOHN DiPASQUALE (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) in the second period as the Hawks jumped out to a 36-0 halftime advantage. The outburst surpassed their record for points in a half (30) set against St. Francis (PA) two weeks ago.
ANTHONY GALELLA (Paramus, NJ/Paramus Catholic) capped the scoring as he added 61-yard touchdown reception just before end of the first half. It was Galella's seven TD catch of the year, tying him with William Holder for the single-season mark. Holder also had seven in 1996.
Reed finished with 100 yards on 14 carries in just over two quarters of work. He left the game in third period shortly after surpassing Ralph O'Neil as Monmouth's all-time leading ground gainer. Reed has 2,030 yards in his career.
In the second half, freshman MATT MERKLINGER (West Orange, NJ), who ran for 109 yards on 13 carries scored the first of his two touchdowns on a three-yard run with 9:43 to play in the period. Sacred Heart finally got on the board as KIHEME COWAN (Woodbridge, NJ) broke off a 35-yard run to make the score 43-7. The Hawks then went on a 14-play, 65-yard march as MIKE TROMBETTA (Berkley Heights, NJ) capped off the dive with a three-yard run. Merklinger closed out the scoring with a 57-yard run, his longest of the season with 9:08 left.
DiPasquale completed 18-of-23 passes for 328, the highest total by a Monmouth quarterback since Dan Sabella threw for 302 yards against St. John's in 1995. Galella caught eight passes for 163 yards while ROBERT WARD (Asbury Park, NJ) led the defensive with two sacks.
Monmouth piled up 600 yards of offense, the second-best single-game total in school history (657 vs. St. John's, 1995) while allowing just 182 to the Pioneers. Cowan finished with 119 yards for the Pioneers, who have lost three straight and have lost their last three meetings with the Hawks following a 12-0 win in West Long Branch in Monmouth's first-ever home contest in 1993. In those last three meetings, Sacred Heart has been out-scored, 132-20.