ELON, N.C. – Quinlen Dean (Geenbelt, Md.) and Pop Lacey (Reading, Pa.) recorded 12 and 11 tackles, respectively, to lead all players but the University of New Hampshire football team was defeated 30-9 by No. 11 Elon University at Rhodes Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Dean eclipsed 200 career tackles as his three solo stops and nine assisted tackles increased his UNH total to 205 (126-79-205).
Sean Coyne (Portsmouth, R.I.) scored his first career touchdown on a 25-yard run and also had a team-high five catches for 25 yards. Neil O'Connor (Leominster, Mass.) finished with four catches for 56 yards.
Christian Lupoli (East Haven, Conn.) completed 16 of 27 passes for a career-high 174 yards. Carlos Washington, Jr. paced the 'Cats with 115 all-purpose yardsCarlos Washington, Jr. (Fort Washington, Md.) had five rushes for 25 yards.
UNH is now 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the CAA. Elon, with its first win in five lifetime meetings vs. the Wildcats, improved to 3-1, 1-0.
Elon was led offensively by Malcolm Summers (22 rushes, 124 yards, 1 TD), Davis Cheek (24-31, 258 yards) and Kortez Weeks (14 catches, 165 yards). Cheek also had one carry for a 2-yard touchdown.
NEXT HOME GAME
* New Hampshire's next home game is Oct. 6 (12 p.m.) against College of the Holy Cross for STEM Day. The game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Boston.
* Purchase tickets for any remaining home game online at www.unhwildcats.com, by calling (603) 862-4000 or at the Whittemore Center box office.
SHOP UNH
* Check out UNHShop.com for the latest in official UNH Wildcats' merchandise.
1st QUARTER
* After a game-opening touchback, Elon's hurry-up offense quickly marched 75 yards on 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead at 11:02. Cheek, who was a perfect 5 of 5 for 58 yards on the drive, scored on a keeper from the UNH 2.
* UNH answered immediately with a 7-play, 48-yard drive capped by a career-long 41-yard field goal by Jason Hughes (Atkinson, N.H.) at 7:10. Most of the yardage was gained on back-to-back plays, a 19-yard end around by O'Connor and a 33-yard pass from Lupoli to Kieran Presley (Amherst, Mass.).
* At the end of 15 minutes, Elon had a 110-66 edge in total yards and a 7-3 lead on the scoreboard.
2nd QUARTER
* The Phoenix extended the advantage to 14-3 at 12:13 on a 6-play, 70-yard drive that took 2:32 off the clock. Cheek's 15-yard completion extended the drive on 3rd-and-8 from the E32, then a 28-yard pass play advanced the ball to the UNH 25. Two plays later, Summers ran up the middle for a 21-yard touchdown.
* The Wildcats once again responded on the next drive, this time with a 7-play, 75-yard TD drive to close within 14-9 at 9:18. Lupoli's 26-yard pass to Washington, Jr. advance the ball into Elon territory at the E42. Washington, Jr. extended the drive with a 15-yard run on 3rd-and-8 from the E41, and then on 2nd-and-9, Coyne took an inside handoff and cut upfield around the left guard for a 25-yard TD run.
* The 'Cats lined up with a bunched group on the left side for the 2-point PAT, but Lupoli ran to the right and was tackled short of the goal line to keep the margin at five points.
* With 1:14 remaining in the half, UNH called timeout facing 4th-and-4 from the E25. Lupoli's pass in O'Connor's direction was batted at the line by Kadrien Darity to force an incompletion and change of possession.
* It was a big stop for the Phoenix defense, which stiffened after facing 2nd-and-2 at the E23.
* Elon's possession started at its 25 with 1:09 on the clock, and consecutive 15-yard penalties on UNH's defense quickly moved the ball to the UNH 40. Three consecutive completions set up 1st-and-goal at the UNH 7, where Jalen Greene took a direct snap in shotgun formation and ran up the left slot for the score and 24-9 lead with 31 seconds on the clock.
* Elon outscored the 'Cats 17-6 in the second quarter to take a 24-9 lead into halftime. The Phoenix had 269-172 edge in total yards in the first half.
3rd QUARTER
* On the opening possession of the second half, UNH marched to the E19, but then back-to-back sacks forced the Wildcats to punt.
* A 28-yard punt pinned the Phoenix at the E4, but Summers' 54-yard run quickly flipped the field to the UNH 16. Jae'Wuan Horton (Stafford, Va.) and Ryan Sosnak (Bethel Park, Pa.) stopped Summers on 3rd-and-goal from the UNH1, which forced Elon to settle for Davis' 18-yard field goal. Those three points extended the lead to 27-9 at 3:46.
* Through three quarters, Elon had a 372-209 edge in total yards.
4th QUARTER
* Greg Liggs, Jr.'s second interception of the game gave Elon possession at the E39, and Davis' third field goal of the game -- this time from 30 yards -- capped an 11-play, 48-yard drive that consumed 4:55 and pushed the score to 30-9.
'CAT NIPS
* Elon finished with a 451-218 advantage in total yards and shut out the Wildcats in the second half while limiting the 'Cats to 46 yards.
* Dean has recorded double-digit tackles 3 of 4 games and has a team-high 43 tackles this season.
* Lacey has 10+ tackles each of the past two games and is second with 33 stops.
* O'Connor climbed to No. 6 in career receptions with 185; he moved past David Gamble (182).
* Senior transfer Cam Smith (Medway, Mass.) made his first start as a Wildcat at left guard.
* UNH has now been outscored 70-9 in the second quarter this season.
.png&type=webp)
