FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Marist football team suffered a 28-7 loss at Sacred Heart in the season opener for both teams on Saturday night.

Sacred Heart outgained Marist, 420-241, but the Red Foxes hung tough for a majority of the game thanks to forcing four turnovers. Senior safeties Connor Mathias (West Lawn, Pa.) and Zach Adler (Walden, N.Y.) each had 10 tackles to tie for the team high. Mathias added a fumble recovery, tackles for loss and pass break-up, while Adler had an interception.

The Red Foxes also received an interception from senior cornerback Craig Thompson (Landover, Md.) on the game's opening drive, and senior nose tackle Nicholas Foster (Marlton, N.J.) had a fumble recovery on the Marist one-yard line. Fifth-year senior linebackers Hugh Kirwan (Montvale, N.J.) and Paul Sakowski (Chester, N.Y.) each forced fumbles, and Sakowski had two tackles for losses.

Offensively, fifth-year senior running back Atiq Lucas (Coram, N.Y.) gained 89 yards on 20 carries. Fifth-year senior wide receiver Armani Martin (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) led the Red Foxes with six receptions and 80 receiving yards. Making his first collegiate start, junior quarterback Ed Achziger (Dublin, Calif.) was 16-for-39 for 194 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

On the game's first drive, Sacred Heart drove deep into Marist territory, but Thompson's interception gave Marist the ball on its own 10. On its first play from scrimmage of the season, Achziger hit senior wide receiver Matt Tralli (Croton, N.Y.) with a pass over the middle for a 78-yard completion. Two plays later, Achziger completed a seven-yard pass to senior wide receiver Joe Tralli (Croton, N.Y.) for a touchdown to give the Red Foxes a 7-0 lead just 4:55 into the game.

Sacred Heart tied the game with 3:27 left in the first quarter on a 41-yard touchdown pass from RJ Noel to Tyler Dube. A one-yard touchdown run by Keshaudas Spence gave the Pioneers the lead in the second quarter. On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Gordon Hill intercepted a pass from Achziger and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown to give Sacred Heart a two-score lead. Noel and Dube connected for another scoring strike, this one from 12 yards out, to close out the scoring with 6:01 left in the third quarter.

Dube finished with 10 receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Noel was 16-for-31 for 190 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He added 68 rushing yards. Spence ran for 139 yards on 30 carries.

Marist will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 6, when the Red Foxes host Bucknell (1-0) of the Patriot League in their home opener. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase on GoRedFoxes.com.