WORCESTER, Mass. – Fifth-year senior QB Stephen Sturm (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley HS) threw touchdown passes in each of the first three quarters, helping to stake Bentley University to a 34-21 lead and the Falcons went on to defeat Assumption University, 40-21, in non-conference football Saturday afternoon at Brian Kelly Stadium.

Bentley, off to a 2-0 start, extended its winning streak to seven games, dating back to October 2019. During the team's longest win streak since 2011-12, the Falcons have averaged 41 points a game.

A penalty-filled first half ended with the two teams deadlocked at 14 apiece. On the strength of Sturm's 38th and 39th career TD passes, the Falcons scored on both their first and last possessions of the half.

On the third play of the game, Sturm hit graduate running back Andrew Brazicki (Franklin Park, N.J./St. Thomas Aquinas HS) on a screen and the CoSIDA Academic All-America took it the distance for a 69-yard touchdown and a quick 7-0 lead.

Bentley fell behind 14-7 but created the halftime tie on a 15-yard TD catch by senior wide receiver Abel Lopes Jr. (Scituate/Scituate HS) with 17 seconds remaining until the break. That was a nine-play, 69-yard drive that saw Sturm complete four of six.

With the score knotted at 21, Bentley ran off 19 unanswered points to seize control, 40-21, with 4:34 to play. Junior tailback Nathaniel Larkins (Huntington, N.Y./John Glenn HS) broke loose for a 72-yard score, senior defensive back Aaron Racki (Tampa, Fla./Cambridge Christian HS) recovered a bad snap for a touchdown and Brazicki went outside for a 14-yard TD.

Bentley totaled 488 yards of total offense, nearly evenly split between the ground (253 on 5.3 yards per carry) and the air (235). On the other hand, Assumption had 335 yards of offense and was only three of 12 on third down conversions. Time of possession heavily favored the Falcons, who had the ball for nearly 40 minutes.

Sturm, who surpassed 6,000 yards in total offense for his career, completed 14 of 25 passes with seven different players on the receiving end. Junior Tajon Vassar (Worcester/Doherty HS) was the leader in receptions with four, and Brazicki's 69 yards was also a team-best.

Larkins topped the century mark in rushing yards for the second straight game, amassing 139 in 19 carries, and Brazicki followed with 76 on 12 attempts.

For Assumption, senior QB Easton Turner (Ashburn, Va.) was 17 of 30 for 222 passing yards and he matched Sturm's three TDs. Two of those were brought in by junior Brevin Easton (Odenton, Md.), who caught seven for 90 yards.

Bentley sophomore nose tackle Herve Tshibamba (Naugatuck, Conn./Naugatuck HS) had a team-best five tackles for Bentley, and senior defensive end Cedie Dashiell II (Buena Park, Calif./ Buena Park HS) recorded a sack for the seventh straight contest.

Bentley will return home next Saturday to host Stonehill at 2 pm on Falcon Weekend.