Laube Scores Two Touchdowns in 31-21 Win vs. Monmouth

Thursday, September 1

Durham, N.H.

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

1-0 , 1-0

Monmouth

0-1 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Monmouth

New Hampshire

Photo by: Rick Wilson

9/1/2022 11:58:00 PM | Football

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Junior running back Dylan Laube (Westhampton, N.H.) rushed for two touchdowns and UNH's defense and special teams both scored a TD to propel the University of New Hampshire football team to a 31-21 season-opening victory against Monmouth University at Wildcat Stadium in the Thursday Night Throwdown, presented by Dunkin'.

Laube's 19-yard score tied the game, 7-7, in the first quarter and his seven-yard TD run put the Wildcats ahead to stay, 24-21, at 6:20 of the fourth quarter. He carried the ball 16 times for 63 yards, had five receptions for 57 yards and two kickoff returns for 26 yards for a total of 146 all-purpose yards.

In his first game since March 2021, sophomore quarterback Max Brosmer (Roswell, Ga.) completed 18 of 35 passes for 272 yards. Junior tight end Kyle Lepkowski (Adamstown, Md.) was the top target with seven catches for 121 yards.

Junior cornerback Randall Harris (Walled Lake, Mich.) had two interceptions, one of which he returned 25 yards for a touchdown to extend the Wildcats' lead to 31-21 with 4:07 remaining. Sophomore defensive end Josiah Silver (Hampton, Va.) blocked a punt that was returned for a 35-yard TD by junior wide receiver Charles Briscoe III (Bowie, Md.).

Junior linebacker Bryce Shaw (Raynham, Mass.) had a team-high 10 tackles. Senior captain Niko Kvietkus (Southington, Conn.) made eight stops, including two behind the line of scrimmage.

MU quarterback Tony Muskett was 26 of 41 for 281 yards and one TD. Juwon Farri was the Hawks' leading ground gainer with 35 yards on nine carries, and Owen Wright ran for a pair of touchdowns. Alex Bryant caught eight passes for 67 yards and a score.

UP NEXT: New Hampshire returns to action Sept. 10 at UAlbany. The Wildcats' next home game is Youth Sports Night on Sept. 17 (6 p.m.) vs. North Carolina Central.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTO GALLERY | BUY TICKETS FB_09.01.22_Stats

FIRST QUARTER

Monmouth took a 7-0 lead at 10:10 on Wright's five-yard scamper and the PAT kick by Vincenzo Rea.
UNH answered immediately with a 9-play, 73-yard drive of 4 minutes, 34 seconds that was capped by Laube from 19 yards. Redshirt freshman Nick Mazzie (Boxford, Mass.) converted the PAT kick to tie the score at 5:32.

SECOND QUARTER

Silver's sack on the last play of the first quarter forced Monmouth to punt, and Silver blocked Ryan Kost's punt on 4^th-and-22 from the MU 47; Briscoe III scooped up the ball for the score and 14-7 lead at 14:52.
Monmouth marched 70 yards on 12 plays to tie the score, 14-14, on Wright's two-yard run at 9:43.
The Wildcats started 1^st-and-10 on the UNH 17 with 52 seconds left and quickly advanced the ball downfield with a 25-yard pass to Lepkowski, 24-yard completion to Laube and 26-yarder to Lepkowski that gave the 'Cats 1^st-and-goal at the MU 8 with 23 seconds on the clock.
Following two incompletions and a sack, Mazzie's 28-yard field goal gave UNH a 17-14 lead with six seconds remaining in the half.

THIRD QUARTER

Monmouth went back in front, 21-17, when Muskett found Bryant alone in the middle of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown at 9:25.

FOURTH QUARTER

UNH overcame three offensive penalties to regain the lead, 24-21, on an 8-play, 72-yard drive. A 26-yard completion to senior Sean Coyne (Portsmouth, R.I.) moved the ball across midfield to the MU 43, and then a 33-yard pass play to grad student Andrew Edgar (Chicago, Ill.) set up 1^st-and-10 at the MU 11. One play later, Laube gained the corner around the left side for a 7-yard TD run at 5:10.
Facing 4^th-and-11 at the MU 24 with just over four minutes remaining, the Hawks kept their offense on the field. Harris stepped in front of the intended receiver at the 25-yard line and raced into the end zone to secure the win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

UNH had the slight edge in total offense yards, 353-343.
The Wildcats won the turnover battle with three interceptions; Monmouth's defense recorded one INT.
MU won the time of possession with 35:50 in comparison to UNH's 24:10.
This was the first ever meeting between these programs on the gridiron.

UNH NOTEBOOK

This marked the first game as UNH head coach for Rick Santos; he was promoted from associate head coach following the retirement of longtime head coach Sean McDonnell last December.
Santos was interim head coach in 2019 and guided the Wildcats to a 6-5 record.
New Hampshire has a 16-2 record the past 18 home openers.
Laube matched his career high of two rushing TDs in a game.
Randall now has two career touchdowns.
Briscoe III scored his first career TD.
Lepkowski established personal bests in both receptions (seven) and receiving yards (121).
In his UNH debut, Edgar caught three passes for 57 yards.
Mazzie was perfect – 3-for-3 on PATs and 1-for-1 on field goals – in his collegiate debut.
The previous time UNH returned a blocked punt for a TD was March 5, 2021 vs. UAlbany.