October 14, 2000 -- The MAAC Conference leading rusher and Pre-Season Offensive Player of Year, Ralph Saldiveri, was held to just 18 yards rushing, as the Marist College Football team defeated Iona College 27-7 on Leonidoff Field on Homecoming this afternoon. The Red Fox gridiron team improved to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Gaels drop to 3-3 on the season and 1-2 in the MAAC Football League.
Sophomores Chris Price (Danbury, CT) and Alfredo Riullano (Newburgh, NY) each ran the ball over 100 yards, leading the best Red Fox offensive game yet this season, racing a season high 253 yards rushing and 400 yards total offense. Quarterback Kevin Chartrand (Saratoga, NY) connected on nine of 18 passes for a season-high 148 yards, while senior Brian Traynor (Lincroft, NJ) led the receiving corps with three catches for 73 yards.
The Red Fox defense held the Gaels to just seven yards rushing, but allowed Iona to gain 188 yards in the air. Gael signal caller LeVar Stockton completed nine of 28 passes throwing four interceptions. Senior tri-captain Tom Lennon (Oxford, CT) with his eight tackles (4 solo, 4 assists), a sack for six yards, and an interception highlighted the best defensive effort by the Red Foxes this year.
The Red Foxes controlled the tempo from the very start as sophomore Rommel Sumague (Tenafly, NU) jumped over the goal line on a one yard rush and sophomore Brett Biggs (Bethlehem, PA) connected on a 37-yard field goal to put Marist up 10-0 by the beginning the second quarter. Iona jumped onto the board as Conor Seyda broke free into the open field to catch a 62-yard pass from Stockon. Marist ended the half as Price, tallying his second touchdown of the season, caught the Red Foxes second touchdown of the afternoon on a 15-yard pass from Chartrand.
Possession changed hand seven times in the third quarter, but neither team capitalized as Marist entered the final quarter up 17-7. In the early stages of the final stanza, place kicker Biggs kicked a 42-yard field goal through the uprights to tie his own Marist school record for longest field goal made. Biggs originally set the record last season in Marist's 49-7 win over Canisius on October 2nd, 1999. Just minutes later, Riullano tore down the field for a 42-yard touchdown, his third touchdown run of the season.
Marist returns to action next weekend on October 21st, as the Red Foxes meet up with former MAAC member, Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m.
