Goldrich, Crossan and Powell Power Football Past Albany, 24-14

Saturday, November 14

Albany, N.Y.

7:00 PM

University of New Hampshire

6-4 , 4-3

University at Albany

3-7 , 2-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

New Hampshire

Albany

Goldrich, Crossan and Powell Power Football Past Albany, 24-14

11/14/2015 11:35:00 PM | Football

Box Score

ALBANY, N.Y. – Dalton Crossan (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns, and Sean Goldrich (West Haven, Conn.) completed 32 of 51 passes for 301 yards and a TD to lead the University of New Hampshire football team to Saturday night's 24-14 victory against the University at Albany at Casey Stadium.

UNH improves to 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the CAA by remaining perfect in four lifetime games vs. Albany, which is now 3-7 overall, 2-5 in the CAA. The Wildcats outgained the hosts 467-360, including a disparity of 301-136 passing yards, and recorded 30 first downs, the team's highest total since Sept. 22, 2012 (35 at Old Dominion University).

New Hampshire concludes the regular season Nov. 21 against University of Maine at Cowell Stadium in the Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket and Senior Day. Limited tickets are available online at www.unhwildcats.com, by calling 603-862-4000 ext. 5 or visiting the Whittemore Center Box Office.

Crossan matched his career high of 22 carries and scored a pair of one-yard runs. He also caught five passes for 39 yards. Goldrich established personal bests in both completions and attempts. Jordan Powell (Forked River, N.J.) caught 10 passes for 96 yards – both career highs – with one TD reception.

Keith Parkinson (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) finished with a team-high eight tackles. Ryan Farrell (Westwood, Mass.) and Lamar Edmonds (Worcester, Mass.) both had seven tackles. Edmonds also forced a fumble.

Albany was led offensively by Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks (13 rushes, 86 yards) and Neven Sussman, who completed 9 of 23 passes for 136 yards and carried the ball 13 times for 75 yards. Elliot Croskey added 10 rushes for 58 yards.

On the game's first possession, the Wildcats marched 67 yards on 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead at 10:40. Goldrich completed passes of 20 and 11 yards to Powell, then ran for 14 yards to advance the ball to the UA 20. Crossan's 12-yard scamper set up 1^st-and-goal, and then Goldrich's swing pass to Crossan set up 4^th-and-goal from the 1. Crossan ran the ball up the middle for the score and Morgan Ellman (Scotch Plains, N.J.) kicked the PAT.

Albany's Dione Alston fielded the ensuing kickoff at the goal line and broke through the middle toward the left sideline, where he was pushed out of bounds by Ellman at the UNH 25. The Great Danes moved the ball to the 9 on six plays, but then Patrick Toole's 26-yard field goal from the left hashmark sailed wide left.

On the strength of Goldrich's arm, UNH extended the lead to 10-0 at 4:02 of the first quarter. The captain completed 8 of 9 passes, including three consecutive passes to Kyon Taylor (Springfield, Va.) for 34 yards, to move the ball from the UNH 20 to the Albany 7. A pair of incompletions sandwiched around a one-yard loss led to Ellman's 25-yard field goal.

The Wildcats' defense forced a three-and-out and the offense once again moved the ball into the red zone. On 3^rd-and-6 from the UA 17, Goldrich was sacked for a 10 yard loss and, in lieu of attempting a long field goal into the wind, UNH's offense stayed on the field. Goldrich found Crossan in the right flat and he eluded a couple of tacklers but was brought down at the 17 to give possession to the Great Danes on loss of downs.

Ibitokun-Hanks gained 54 yards on three carries to quickly give Albany 1^st-and-10 at the UNH 29. Four plays later, Toole missed a 40-yard field goal attempt wide left to keep the score 10-0 in favor of the 'Cats at 9:46 of the second quarter.

The Great Danes immediately got the ball back on Jamal Merritt's interception at the UNH 39 and the 13-yard return gave the home team 1^st-and-10 at the UNH 26. UNH's defense did not allow a yard, however, and Toole missed a 43-yard field goal attempt, again wide left.

New Hampshire began its last drive of the first half with 2:32 on the clock. Three consecutive completions to Allison gained 28 yards to move the ball to the UNH 43. Goldrich then connected with Walker, Jr. for 19- and 9-yard gains to give the 'Cats 2^nd-and-1 at the UA 29. On the next play, Powell recovered his own fumble at the 21, then he caught the next two passes to set up 1^st-and-goal at the UA 7 with 13 seconds to play. One play later, Goldrich's pass deflected off Powell's hands and was intercepted by Mason Gray to end the scoring threat.

UNH dominated the first-half stats in first downs (18-4), passing yards (250-37) and total yards (292-128), but the Great Danes won the turnover battle at plus-two.

On the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, Edmonds jarred the ball loose from Ibiokun-Hanks at the UNH 40 and Daniel Rowe (Orange, N.J.) caught the ball out of the air to gain possession for the 'Cats.

Crossan's ground gains of 8 and 13 yards surrounded a Golrich-to-Allison eight yard pass play to give UNH 1^st-and-10 at the UA 11. Donald Goodrich (York, Maine) fumbled on the next play, however, to give the ball back to the Great Danes.

The teams exchanged possessions before Albany marched 85 yards in 10 plays to pull within 10-7 at 4:00 of the third quarter. Croskey capped the run on an eight-yard TD run in which he won the race to the right pylon.

New Hampshire responded immediately with a 6-play, 58-yard touchdown drive to reestablish a 10-point lead, 17-7, at 1:21. Three consecutive double-digit gains – Goldrich's 15-yard run, 20-yard pass to Taylor and Crossan 11-yard run – set up Crossan's second one-yard scoring rush of the game.

The Wildcat defense kept momentum in UNH's favor by forcing a three-and-out, and the combination of Crossan's legs and Goldrich's arm produced another touchdown for the 'Cats. Crossan opened the drive with rushes of 12, 17 and 3 yards, then four plays later Goldrich completed his 50^th pass attempt of the game to Powell at the goal line for a two-yard TD that gave UNH a 24-7 lead at 12:59 of the fourth quarter.

Albany answered with a seven-play, 70-yard TD drive that ended with Sussman's one-yard keeper to close within 24-14 at 9:53.

The Great Danes had one last chance to cut into that 10-point deficit when they gained possession at their 28 with 58 seconds to play. Sussman completed a 20-yard pass but on the next play his throw down the left sideline was intercepted by Dougie Moss (Huntsville, Ala.) at the UNH 15 to secure the victory.

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