FAIRFIELD, CT (October 6, 2012) - The Sacred Heart offense was held in check Saturday afternoon, falling to Wagner College 12-3 in a Northeast Conference match-up on Campus Field.  The Seahawks got 122 yards and two touchdowns from junior running back Dominique Williams as they even their record at 3-3 and improve to 3-1 in the NEC.  The Pioneers drop to 1-4 and 1-2 in the NEC.

The Pioneers were held to a season-low 214 yards of total offense including 67 through the air.  R-Junior quarterback Tim Little (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ) was just eight-of-20 in the loss.  Sophomore running back Keshaudas Spence (Dorchester, MA) rank for 72 yards on 12 carries to pace the running game.

Wagner kept the Pioneers off the score board until 2:15 in the third quarter and put together a pair of first half scoring drives.  After a three-and-out on their first drive, the Seahawks needed just one play to reach pay dirt thanks to the legs of Williams.  A 44-yard Robert Shepherd (Groton, CT) punt gave Wagner the ball first down on their 19-yard line.

On first down, Wagner quarterback Nick Doscher handed off to Williams who broke off tackle left and burst up the sidelines untouched for an 81-yard score.  The extra point was blocked by SHU senior Tyler Foehr (Florence, NJ), his second blocked point after in as many weeks. 

Doscher led the Seahawks on a 12-play drive that started at the end of the first quarter and culminated with another Williams score with just under 10 minutes to play in the half.  Facing a third and five on the SHU 17-yard line, Doscher came up with the big play of the drive on a 14-yard keeper to set up a first and goal.  After the Pioneer defense held their ground forcing a fourth and goal decision, Williams scooted straight up the gut for six for all the points Wagner would need.

SHU put together some offense on their first drive of the third quarter and produced their only points of the game.  Wagner's A.J. Firestone pinned the Pioneers back at their own seven-yard line but Little was able to lead the offense on what would be an 18-play drive that ended in a 20-yard Chris Rogers (Cazenovia, NY) field goal.  Little picked up a pair of third downs on the drive, hooking up with Rock Tate (Lantana, FL) and Sean Kessler (Huntington, NY) to keep the sticks moving. 

The Pioneers drove the ball down to the Wagner four yard line but saw Greg Moore (Newark, NJ) stopped for a yard gain on first down, Spence for no gain on second and an incomplete pass on third down to stall out the drive.  SHU was forced to settle for the three points and had 9:31 come off the clock.

Wagner followed that up by putting the game away with a pair of 12 play drives that although they didn't produce any points, took a combined 14:43 off the clock.  The win by Wagner was their first on Campus Field since the 1998 season, the first meeting between the two schools (40-8).  It also snapped a streak dating back to the 2002 season where the home team has won each season in the series between the two schools.

Sacred Heart linebacker Justin Sexton (Murreita, CA), the NEC's leading tackler, posted double digit tackles for the third time this season, coming up with 13 stops, seven solo.  The Pioneers finished the day with five sacks of Doscher, two by Foehr and Chaz Partosan (Willimantinc, CT) and another by Troy Moore (Worcester, MA).

The Pioneers are back on the road next Saturday as they wrap-up the non-conference portion of the schedule facing the Dartmouth Big Green.  Kick-off is at 1:30 pm.

xxxxxxxxxxxx