WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The Bentley University defense overcame a Falcon fumble at their own 16 in the first half. They couldn't do the same in the third quarter and went on to drop a 17-7 decision to the University of New Haven in Northeast-10 Conference football Saturday afternoon at DellaCamera Stadium.

The loss dropped the Falcons to 5-5 on the season (5-4 NE-10) and as a result, they will host Stonehill College next Saturday in the 5-6 game during Northeast-10 Championship Weekend.

After a 7-7 first half, the Falcon defense forced a three-and-out to start the third quarter. New Haven got the ball right back at the Bentley 16 when the return was fumbled and recovered by Charger sophomore Tyler Hill (Buffalo, N.Y.).

On the very next play, senior tailback Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn.) went up the middle for a 16-yard touchdown and a lead the home team would never give back.

It remained a 14-7 game until a 23-yard field goal by junior Danny Stock (North Massapequa, N.Y.) finished a 16-play drive that ate up the final 2:29 of the third and the first 6:47 of the fourth.  

The afternoon started off on a positive note for the Falcons with senior running back Matt Montalto (West Yarmouth, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth Reg. HS) running it in from the four for a 7-0 lead with 4:04 left in the opening stanza. That 14-play, 71-yard drive featured a four-run yard run on a fourth-and-two from the New Haven 13 by sophomore Eric Sugarman (Fuquay Varina, N.C./Fuquay Varina HS).

On the ensuing possession, New Haven faced a fourth-and-three from the Bentley 42. The Chargers not only converted the fourth down, but grad student Ty Headen (New Haven, Conn.) took the relatively short pass from senior Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J.) all the way to the end zone after splitting the defenders. Stock tacked on the extra point to knot the score at 7-7.

Midway through the second quarter, the first of four Bentley turnovers gave New Haven the ball at the Falcon 16. Following a tackle for loss by senior defensive lineman Keith Ducharme (Quinebaug, Conn./Pomfret School) and a couple penalties, the Chargers attempted a 49-yard field goal. It was blocked by Ducharme and the score remained even at 7-7.

Bentley crossed midfield only once in the second half, for one play on its final possession of the afternoon.

It was a solid performance for the Falcon defense as New Haven was limited to 290 total yards and 5-of-18 on third down conversion attempts.. Patterson finished 15 of 26 for 160 yards , including four to Headen for 75      yards. On the ground, senior Lemar Thomas (Hackensack, N.J.) gained a game-high 79 yards on 23 carries.

Senior linebacker Bryan Hardy (Barnstable, Mass./Barnstable HS), in the penultimate game of his career, made a season-high 16 tackles for the Falcons, including nine solo stops.

On offense, Bentley was held to 199 yards and 13 first downs in 26:59 of possession time. Junior QB Mack Lowrie (Foxborough, Mass./Roxbury HS) completed 16 of 32 passes for 119 yards, sophomore Drew Mahoney (West Suffield, Conn./Suffield Academy) caught nine for 66 yards, and Sugarman had 13 carries for 34 yards. Senior punter Tyler Ford (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan HS) booted the ball seven times for an average of 45.9 yards, including a 67-yarder.

New Haven's D included 15 tackles from senior linebacker Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J.) and two sacks from senior Dan McCourt (Pembroke, Mass.).

Snapped was Bentley's streak of 14 consecutive games with at least one forced turnover, dating back to the midpoint of last season.

Bentley and Stonehill met back on Oct. 22 with the Falcons prevailing at home, 27-7. Kickoff next Saturday is set for noon.