FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University football team could not hold onto the lead as the Merrimack Warriors scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat the Pioneers, 17-7, on Family Weekend. 
 
Records:
Sacred Heart: 1-4, 1-2 NEC
Merrimack: 2-3, 1-1 NEC
 
Top Performers:
Offense:
Jalen Madison – 10 carries | 40 yards
Malik Grant – 12 carries | 37 yards
 
Defense: 
Nick Foglia – 11 tackles | 0.5-2 sacks-yds | 1.0-3 TFL-yds
DeAndre Byrd – 8 tackles
Marques Mason – 8 tackles | 0.5-1 TFL-yds
Tyreke Brown – 7 tackles | 1.5 TFL-yds
 
Of Note:
Sacred Heart broke open the scoring at the 5:55 mark of the first quarter as Arsheen Jiles scored the first touchdown of the game after recovering a Merrimack fumble at the SHU 38. Jiles returned the ball for a 62-yard touchdown, which resulted in his first of the season. A Sam Renzi extra point gave the Pioneers the 7-0 advantage.
 
Shortly after, Merrimack trimmed the deficit to within four, 7-3, following a 26-yard field goal from Lliam Davis with 3:08 left in the quarter.
 
It turned into a defensive battle between the Pioneers and Warriors. Both teams were unable to capitalize offensively until the fourth quarter when Merrimack scored 14 points off a pick-six by Tre Jordan III and a 45-yard rushing touchdown from Donovan Wadley to push the advantage to 10, 17-7. 

The Pioneers' final rally of the game came with 3:05 left on the clock as a forced fumble from Jordan Campbell and a fumble recovery by Nick Yanchuck ignited the sidelines and allowed the offense to go back to work. From there, Sacred Heart moved up the field quickly as two complete passes from Rob McCoy as well as a six-yard rush and a three-yard rush from Grant put the Pioneers in the red zone. However, Sacred Heart was unable to capitalize, falling to the Pioneers, 17-7. 
 
Up Next:
The Pioneers return to action on Saturday, Oct. 7, as the red-and-white travel to Staten Island to square off against LIU. Game time is set for 1 p.m.