NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – In a battle to stay unbeaten in the Northeast-10 Conference, Merrimack College scored 15 unanswered points in the second half to overcome a 16-point first-half deficit and best Bentley University, 33-29, Saturday afternoon at Martone-Mejail Field. The comeback featured an 83-yard pass reception by junior Isaiah Voegeli (Hyannis) for the first points yielded by the Falcon defense in the fourth quarter all season.

Bentley, which played most of the second half without 2010 NE-10 MVP Bryant Johnson (Hopedale/Milford HS), dropped to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the NE-10.  Merrimack moved into a first-place tie with New Haven, improving to 4-1 overall and 3-0 conference.

The second half began with the visiting Falcons up 29-18 after they scored on their first five possessions of the game and amassed nearly 300 yards of offense in the opening two quarters.

However, the game changed significantly in the first five minutes after the halftime intermission. Senior QB James Suozzo (Everett) led the Warriors on a five-play, 69-yard march on the quarter's opening possession, taking it in from the Falcon 38 for the score. Merrimack went for two on the extra point try, and Suozzo teamed up with Voegeli for the conversion, drawing the Warriors to within three, 29-26.

Bentley's first possession of the third ended with Johnson being sacked, a play that knocked the standout from the game.  The Falcons failed to score on their final six possessions, with three of those ending via interception, and had only six first downs over the final 25 minutes.

It remained a three-point game until back-up QB Joe Clancy (Newburyport) went deep to the speedy Voegeli, who outsprinted the Falcon defense to the end zone for the go-ahead score. The point after kick by freshman Nick Zwann (Longmeadow) made it 33-29.

Bentley, with little-used sophomore Danny Guadagnoli (Framingham/Framingham HS) in for Johnson, appeared to regain the lead only two minutes later when he connected with junior Sean Cross (Duxbury/Duxbury HS) on a 60-yard scoring strike.  However, that was called back as a result of a holding penalty and the drive ended with a punt a couple plays later.

After regaining the ball, Merrimack had two chances to take extend the lead, but Zwann was twice wide right on field goal attempts, missing from 33 and then from 30. The Warriors kept the ball after the 33-yarder missed as the result of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Bentley.

Guadagnoli moved the Falcons from his own 16 to the Warrior 40 on what proved to be the team's final possession, but that ended with an interception by sophomore linebacker Jimmy Holland (Billerica). Merrimack was able to run out the final 2:30, ending the Bentley hopes of a comeback.

Bentley jumped out to a 13-3 lead after the opening quarter, with senior tailback Bobby Tarr (Byfield/Bishop Fenwick HS) taking it in from the one for the game's first score and Johnson connecting with Cross on a six-yard TD pass for the second.

The first eight minutes of the second quarter saw Bentley twice stretch the lead to 16, with Merrimack answering on both occasions.  A one-yard TD pass from Johnson to Cross with 12:51 left in the second was matched by a 12-yard pass from Clancy to senior Omari Mobley (Hanover, Pa.) with 10:28 left.  Tarr's second TD of the game, a 63-yard run, came just 19 seconds later, and Merrimack replied with an eight-play, 55-yard drive finished by a 10-yard run from sophomore Quinn McDonough (Medford) with 7:02 remaining.

Bentley restored the lead to double figures with 3:44 left in the second on a 28-yard field goal by junior Will Lockwood (Menlo Park, Calif./Sacred Heart Prep).

Johnson finished 16 of 27 for 196 yards while Guadagnoli was four of 14 for 55 yards. The Falcon receiving corps was led by grad student Wade Critides (Wayland/Wayland HS), with six catches for 97 yards, and Cross, with four for 43. Critides surpassed the century mark in career receptions and moved into the top five in Bentley history in receiving yards.

Tarr posted his third 100-yard rushing game of the season, finishing with 114 on 18 carries.

Voegeli had 179 all-purpose yards for Merrimack, including five catches for 154 yards. Clancy was 10 of 17 for 159 yards, and Suozzo finished nine of 17 for 124.

Bentley finished with 402 yards of total offense, 20 more than Merrimack, and had a 21-15 advantage in first downs.

Sophomore linebackers Anthony Carter (Marlboro/Marlboro HS), Kyle Young (Ellicott City, Md.) and Blaine Hopwood (New Bedford/New Bedford HS) all had nine tackles for the Falcons, as did senior safety Don Hopkins (Waltham/Waltham HS), who also had an interception.

Next Saturday, Bentley will celebrate Homecoming with Southern Connecticut State providing the opposition for a 2 pm game.