WALTHAM, Mass. – Led by a pair of sacks from senior linebacker Matt McDermott (Merrimac/ Central Catholic HS), a fumble recovery from senior linebacker Craig Hanley (Walpole/Walpole HS) and a late interception by junior safety Sam McDonald (Norfolk/King Philip Reg. HS), the Bentley University defense limited American International College to 139 net yards, propelling the Falcons to a 10-6 win in Northeast-10 Conference football Saturday afternoon at Bentley.

Bentley, with its third straight victory, improved to 4-2 in the conference and 4-3 overall while remaining just a game out of first place, pending tonight's Assumption-Southern Connecticut State game. AIC fell out of a tie for second, dropping to 3-4 overall and 3-3 NE-10.

After a scoreless opening half in which the two teams were a combined 0-for-3 in the red zone, AIC received to start the second. Three plays in, an errant snap was recovered by Hanley at the Yellow Jacket two, setting the stage for the game's only touchdown.

On the very next play, Bentley senior tailback George Craan (Hyde Park/Concord-Carlisle Reg. HS) went off tackle for the touchdown. Senior Michael Baron (Medfield/Roxbury Latin School) added the extra point, putting the Falcons up 7-0 with 13:36 left in the third quarter.

AIC's next possession ended with freshman Nick Athy (Holliston/Holliston HS) making the stop for a loss of nine when it appeared the Yellow Jackets were going to attempt a fake punt. 

Bentley took over at the 30 going in and following a drive that included an unsportsmanlike conduct on AIC, made it 10-0 on a 22-yard Baron field goal with 8:31 left on the third quarter clock.

The Yellow Jackets answered with their only extended drive of the afternoon, 18 plays that included three fourth-down conversions. Senior Maurice Easterling (Yonkers, N.Y.) finished it off, running it in on a third-and-goal from the Bentley one. The visitors went for two but the pass attempt failed.

McDonald's 13th career interception gave the ball back to Bentley with 2:58 to play, the second straight game in which he's helped lock up a victory with a late pick. The Falcons were unable to achieve a game-clinching first down, but by the time AIC got the ball back, the clock was down to 31 seconds and the ball was at the Yellow Jacket 10. A short completion, a spike and two incomplete passes gave the ball back to Bentley with only one second left for a final kneel down.

Bentley was in the red zone twice in the first half. After reaching the 13, a holding penalty and a sack pushed the ball back to the 25 and Baron was short on a 42-yard field goal attempt. Late in the second quarter, senior QB Matt Montalto (West Yarmouth/Dennis-Yarmouth HS) was intercepted on a 1st-and-10 from the AIC 13, denying the Falcons a chance to take the lead before the break.

AIC came up empty after a bad snap on a punt gave the Yellow Jackets the ball at the Bentley 11. Sophomore QB Kwame Jarvis (Schenectady, N.Y.), faced with a 4th-and-8 from the nine, was sacked by McDermott and the ball returned to the Falcons.

While AIC managed only 2.0 yards per play, Bentley's offense was generally held in check as well with the Falcons finishing with 151 total yards and 13 first downs. Craan rushed for 64 yards on 20 carries, Montalto gained 37 on 13 carries, and Montalto also completed seven of 13 passes for 49 yards.

Easterling, who rushed for about 180 yards a game over his last three, was limited to 64 yards on 23 carries.

Senior linebacker Bryan Hardy (Barnstable/Barnstable HS) led Bentley in tackles with 11, and both senior DE Paul Norris (North Attleboro/North Attleboro HS) and sophomore linebacker Brandon Brown (Oxon Hill, Md./Suitland HS) each followed with seven.

Junior punter Tyler Ford (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan HS) had another outstanding game for the Falcons, averaging a school record 46.8 on his five attempts, including three inside the 20. It was the second straight game he broke the single game mark (minimum four punts).

Bentley will be on the road for its next two, beginning with a 1 pm game at Stonehill College next Saturday.