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LIU Post handles Saint Anselm

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The Saint Anselm College football team was downed by the nationally-ranked Pioneers from LIU Post on Saturday by a 37-6 score at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium.

Saint Anselm fell to 1-4 overall and within the Northeast-10 Conference on the season, while LIU Post, ranked 25th in NCAA Division II by the American Football Coaches’ Association, remains undefeated on the season, moving to 6-0 overall and to 5-0 against the NE10.

Senior Daniel Parisi accounted for his team’s scoring, booting two field goals that included a 44-yard attempt to conclude the opening half of play. Through his first five games of the 2018 season, he is a perfect 8-for-8 on field goals and ranks fourth all-time with 13 career makes.

Both sides played aggressively on their opening possessions as each turned the ball over on downs. The Hawks put the first points on the board, however, as a Parisi field goal capped a 10-play, 68-yard drive with a 33-yard conversion to create a 3-0 advantage in the early stages of the game.

After a Hawks punt later in the first quarter, LIU Post quarterback Chris Laviano hooked up with Michael Richardson for a 44-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the drive. Down by a 7-3 margin early in the contest, the Hawks were forced to punt but the Saint Anselm defense stood tall and forced a punt of its own.

Both teams traded possessions early in the second quarter but a fumbled punt return by Saint Anselm set up a 1-yard rushing score by Malik Pierre that would eventually create a 14-3 lead for the hosts. Laviano and Richardson connected once again shortly thereafter, this time on a 2-yard touchdown reception with 2:17 to go in the opening half.

The Hawks ran 10 plays for 45 yards to conclude the opening half, capping the lengthy drive with a field goal from Parisi for three additional points. LIU Post and Saint Anselm posted comparable offensive statistics, but the Pioneers converted 6-of-10 third downs and scored 10 of their 21 first-half points off of Saint Anselm miscues.

Coming out of the locker room, LIU Post received the second-half kickoff and a 48-yard pass by Laviano to Deon Mash boosted the hosts lead to 28-6. Later in the third quarter, an interception thrown by the Hawks would yield a 31-yard field goal make by LIU Post’s Joey Tolgyesi to up the lead to 31-6.

Only minutes into the fourth quarter, the Pioneers scored their last touchdown of the day as Richardson capped the hat trick with his third scoring reception of the day, this time on a seven-yard feed from Laviano. Richardson finished with eight catches for 81 yards and three receptions while Laviano was 22-for-45, throwing four touchdowns along with 278 aerial yards.

Hawks quarterback Eric Fairweather (Londonderry) was 20-for-47 on the afternoon, throwing for 152 yards while also leading the team with 17 carries for 96 yards. Senior Kyle Hill caught three passes for 42 yards, including a game-long 27-yard reception. Junior Shawn Donovan picked up seven catches for 37 yards.

Sophomore Ryan Sullivan and senior Emmanuel Akinlosotu tallied seven tackles and senior CJ Miller led the Hawks with two-and-a-half tackles for a combined loss of seven yards. Nazir Streater led LIU Post on defense with three interceptions.

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