Oct. 5, 2002
Poughkeepsie, NY - The Marist College football team scored twice in the final 11:01 of the contest to defeat Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Football League opponent Fairfield, 33-29, this evening on Leonidoff Field. The Red Foxes improve to 4-1 on the year, and 2-1 in the MAAC, with the win, while the Stags fall to 1-4 overall and 1-1 in MAAC play.
Alfredo Riullano (Callicoon, NY) scored from 19-yards out, with 1:23 remaining in the game to put Marist ahead for the last time, and earn the win. Riullano scored twice on the day, giving Marist a 17-7 lead in the third quarter, scoring from 10 yards out.
The Red Foxes led 20-7 when Brett Biggs (Bethlehem, PA) converted a 31-yard field goal with 2:26 left in the game. The Stags would score the next two touchdowns, both 42-yard pass strikes, to take a 21-20 lead with 12:43 left in the game.
Chris Price (Danbury, CT) would give Marist the lead again 1:42 later, scoring from three yards out, and when the two-point conversion failed, Marist led 26-21. Fairfield scored with 4:44 left on a Mike Cerchio 12-yard run, and converted the two-point effort to take a 29-23 lead, setting up the Red Foxes 10 play, 69-yard scoring drive, capped by the Riullano touchdown run.
Price led all rushers on the night, carrying the ball 32 times for 178 yards and one touchdown. Riullano carried the ball 11 times for the Red Foxes, none for a loss of yardage, for 70 yards, and the two touchdowns. Marist quarterback Kevin Bielen (Glen Rock, NJ) carried the ball six times for 38-yards, including 33 yards in the game winning drive.
The Marist defensive unit forced five turnovers, three interceptions and two fumbles, holding the Stags to 345 yards of offense, just 111 yards on the ground. Marist had four sacks and 14 tackles for a loss in the game. John Healy (Milford, CT) had a team-high nine tackles and Ike Ibeh (Bloomfield, NJ) had four pass deflections in the win for the Red Foxes.
Marist returns to action on Saturday, October 12th, hosting St. John's at 1:00 pm on Leonidoff Field.
