FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 20, 2001

SPECIAL TEAMS LEADS MONMOUTH TO VICTORY

West Long Branch, N.J. – Monmouth University used outstanding special teams play to post a 33-14 victory over the University at Stony Brook in Northeast Conference football action Saturday afternoon at Seawolves Field.

Monmouth (5-1, 4-0 NEC) got three blocked punts on the afternoon, including two by senior safety Aaron Edwards on the afternoon. Freshman punter Glenn Nicholl also helped the Hawks’ cause, pinning five of his six punts inside the SBU 20-yard line, including three inside the 10-yard line.

The Hawks’ first score of the afternoon came with 8:35 left in the first quarter as Edwards blocked a Stony Brook punt which was recovered by Kevin Hutchison in the end zone to give Monmouth a 7-0 lead.

Stony Brook ( 1-4, 1-4 NEC) responded with an 11-play, 90-yard drive, culminating in a 37-yard pass from Scott Bard to Ken Lockhart to tie the score at 7-7 with 5:47 remaining in the first quarter.

Monmouth tacked on a pair of field goals heading into halftime to take a 13-7 lead at the intermission.

The Hawks added to the lead on the third play of the second half as Bill Rankin threw a pass to Matt Merklinger coming out of the backfield. Merklinger caught the pass 10 yards down field and weaved through the Seawolves defense for a 65-yard score to give MU a 20-7 lead.

Stony Brook cut the gap to 20-14 on its next possession. Bard capped off a 7-play, 70-yard drive with a 2-yard run.

The Hawks padded the cushion on its next drive as tailback Tyhquan Walker scored on a career-long 38-yard sweep down the right sideline to give Monmouth a 26-14 edge with 7:28 left in the third quarter.

Monmouth put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter. Michael Pitts intercepted a pass at the Stony Brook 18-yard line and five plays later Merklinger dove in from one yard out to cap the scoring.

In a game in which MU racked up 341 yards of offense and SBU totaled 331 yards on offense, special teams was the difference of the game as Monmouth’s average drive started at the Hawks’ 45-yard line while Stony Brook’s average drive started at the Seawolves’ 18-yard line.

Monmouth returns to action on Saturday, October 27 as the Hawks travel to Maryland for a 1 p.m. game at Towson.