SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – A first-half safety and a third-quarter field goal by freshman Grant Buchanan (Holliston/Holliston HS) accounted for all of Bentley University's scoring as the Falcons spoiled American International College's Homecoming, 5-3, in Northeast-10 Conference football Saturday at Abdow Field.

Bentley, following its first win at AIC since 2004, improved to 4-3 overall and 4-2 in the conference. AIC dropped to 3-4 overall and 3-3 NE-10 despite not allowing a touchdown for the third straight home game.

What proved to be the margin of victory came with 2:50 left in the first half after a punt by Bentley senior Tyler Ford (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan HS) pinned the Yellow Jackets to their 10. Following a loss of one and a false start, a sack in the end zone by junior linebacker Joey Piatnik (Bethel, Conn./ Bethel HS) put the visitors in front 2-0.

Bentley had a chance to extend its lead in the final minute of the first half but a 29-yard field goal attempt by Buchanan was blocked by AIC's Jacquese Johnson (Paterson, N.J.).

AIC, after being held to 67 net yards in the first half, drove to the Bentley 35 to start the second despite being flagged for a couple costly penalties. The Jackets' bid to get in the scoring column was thwarted when Falcon freshman corner Peter Thorbahn (Norwell/Xaverian Bros. HS) came up with his team-leading fourth interception.

Later in the third quarter, Buchanan redeemed himself with a 30-yard field goal that capped a nine-play, 41-yard drive and made it a 5-0 game. The big play to make the field goal possible was a 35-yard pass from junior QB Mack Lowrie (Foxborough/Roxbury Latin HS) to sophomore Michael Correia (Fall River/Durfee HS) on a 3rd-and-13 from just over midfield.

Three-and-a-half minutes into the final stanza, senior Christopher Boteler (Manassas, Va.) got AIC on the board with a 32-yard field goal, his 11th in as many attempts this year.

Boteler had a chance to put his team in front on AIC's next possession but his streak ended when a short 23-yard attempt hit the right upright.

Down two and out of timeouts, AIC got the ball back at its own 19 with 91 seconds left. Helped by three fourth-down conversions, the Yellow Jackets got to the Bentley 15 with five seconds left. The clock reached 0:00 as AIC was whistled for a false start while attempting to get set and spike the ball, in order to give Boteler one more chance.

AIC outgained the Falcons 277-201 overall after amassing 128 yards in the fourth, and also had a 13-11 edge in first downs.

Senior running back Matt Montalto (West Yarmouth/Dennis-Yarmouth Reg. HS) led Bentley in rushing with 88 yards on 19 carries, and Lowrie, in his first start, finished 16 of 36 for 79 yards. AIC used two quarterbacks with Joseph Czelusniak (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Kwame Jarvis (Schenectady, N.Y.) a combined 22 of 39 for 147 yards.

Ford was a major factor for Bentley as he was called upon to punt 12 times. He averaged 44.9 yards, placing four of the 12 inside the 20, and broke the school record for longest punt with a 73-yarder in the first quarter.

Senior linebacker Bryan Hardy (Barnstable/Barnstable HS) led the Falcons with 13 tackles, including two for losses, and junior linebacker Brandon Brown (Oxon Hill, Md./Suitland HS) followed with nine.

Bentley will be back home next Saturday to take on Stonehill College at 1 pm.