Box Score

BEVERLY, Mass. – The Nichols College football team was defeated by Endicott College 56-7 in New England Football Conference (NEFC) action Saturday afternoon at Endicott Stadium.

The Bison (0-6, 0-3 NEFC) were outgained 418-176 and committed five turnovers (four interceptions, one fumble). The Gulls, meanwhile, raced out to a 21-0 first quarter lead and never looked back as they improved to 4-2 (2-1 NEFC).

Junior Joe Lambert (New Haven, Conn.) hauled in a 47-yard touchdown pass from classmate Pat Viencek (Beranrdston, Mass.) to account for the Nichols points midway through the second quarter. The touchdown was Lambert's fourth of the season and one of his six catches on the afternoon. Viencek, meanwhile, completed 14-of-24 passes for 132 yards – 71 of which went to Lambert.

The Gulls did their damage on the ground, rushing for 254 yards and six touchdowns. Senior tailbacks Jared DiBiase (Cranston, R.I.) and Mike Wheeler (Hanover, Mass.) combined for 182 rushing yards and five of the Gulls six running touchdowns.  Junior Cody Sinnott (Rocky Point, N.Y.) added 61 yards on nine attempts – including a 15-yard score in the fourth quarter. 

Through the air, Gulls sophomore quarterback Drew Frenett (New Bedford, Mass.) finished 14-of-23 for 164 yards and two touchdowns – both to senior Mike Murphy (Chelmsford, Mass.) on 15 and 37-yard connections.

Gulls senior captain and linebacker Craig Lussier (Dracut, Mass.) totaled six tackles (four solo) to spark the defense, with 2.5 going for a loss of yardage and 1.5 sacks. Overall, Endicott totaled 11 tackles for a loss, highlighted by four sacks.

Defensively for the Bison, senior linebacker Peter Curto (Braintree, Mass.) and sophomore linebacker Julon McCoy (Gardner, Mass.) each recorded a game-high nine tackles. Early in the game, Curto and McCoy combined to force an Endicot turnover deep in Nichols territory. Curto jostled the ball loose from the Endicott ball carrier and McCoy recovered on its own eight-yard line. 

A 49-yard touchdown run down the left sideline by Wheeler put Endicott on the board first just 3:50 into the game. On Nichols next possession, Gulls linebacker Andrew Holfinger (Sterling, Mass.) forced a fumble, which was recovered by Gulls nose guard Marcell Cooper (Dorchester, Mass.). Endicott then drove down the field and went up 14-0 after DiBiase ran up the middle 10 yards for his first touchdown.

An Endicott interception set up the offense on the Nichols 19-yard line with 4:44 remaining in the first quarter. DiBiase rushed for 11 yards to get Endicott inside the 10, then scored for the second time on an eight-yard dash over the goal line to push the Gulls lead to 21-0. 

After Nichols scored to make it 21-7, Endicott's next possession was a four-play, 54-yard drive capped off by a 16-yard run by Wheeler to make it 28-7. Later in the second quarter, Frenette connected with Murphy for the first time in the game – a 15-yard completion – with 1:24 left in the first half. 

The Gulls received the first kickoff of the third quarter and on their opening drive of the half that went 73 yards, Frenette passed for 61 yards - including a 37-yard strike to Murphy - to put the Gulls up 42-7.

DiBiase's third touchdown run at 6:33 in the third quarter followed by Sinnott's 15-yard dash early in the fourth quarter capped the scoring. 

Nichols hosts UMass Dartmouth next Saturday, October 13 at 1:00 p.m. while the Gulls head to Plymouth, N.H. for a 2:00 p.m. contest with the Panthers of Plymouth State. 

Contributions by Endicott Sports Information