Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass. –Sophomore Brett Franciosi (Leominster, Mass.) and freshman Anthony Wilga (Dudley, Mass.) and each scored touchdowns in Nichols College's 41-13 loss to Massachusetts Maritime in non-conference football action Friday night at Vendetti Field.

Junior Pat Viencek (Bernardston, Mass.) threw for 233 yards and one score for the Bison (0-3) while classmate Joe Lambert (New Haven, Conn.) hauled in six receptions for 73 yards. Defensively, senior Peter Curto (Braintree, Mass.) registered a team-high 11 tackles (five solo) to complement sophomore Alex DiNardo (Wellington, Fla.), who finished with eight tackles (five solo) and one sack.

The Buccaneers (1-1) rushed for 187 yards en route to their highest scoring output since tallying 51 against MIT on September 17, 2011. Junior signal caller Mike Stanton (Quincy, Mass.) completed 13-of-17 for 210 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 26 yards and two scores to pace the Buccaneers offense.

Stanton's first score of the night – a five-yard scamper into the endzone – capped a 10-play, 55-yard drive and put the Buccaneers ahead 7-0 at 9:28 of the first quarter. Less than five minutes later, junior Keith Caruso (Hingham, Mass.) caught a 56-yard touchdown pass from Stanton to extend the Massachusetts Maritime lead to 14-0.

The Bison answered with a 15-play, 69-yard drive that was closed out by Wilga's one-yard touchdown reception – the first of his career – to cut their deficit to 14-7. Viencek was a perfect nine-for-nine on the drive, connecting with six different receivers.

Massachusetts Maritime responded with two touchdowns in 1:20 to take a 27-7 lead into halftime. Sophomore E.J. Bennett (East Wareham, Mass.) caught a nine-yard scoring pass from classmate John Trudel (Niantic, Conn.) with 8:54 on the clock before junior Stefan Gustafson (Plymouth, Mass.) took the first play of the Buccaneers next drive 21 yards to the house (PAT blocked).

In the third, Stanton's eight-yard run capped a 14-play drive and extended the Massachusetts Maritime lead to 34-7. Nichols notched its second touchdown of the evening with 6:03 remaining in the third, marching 75 yards in nine plays before Franciosi rushed in from one yard out. The touchdown was set up by a 24-yard completion from Viencek to Dylan Rimsky (Denville, N.J.) that brought the Bison to the Buccaneers one-yard line.  A 53-yard touchdown pass from Stanton to sophomore Bobby Rosano (North Reading, Mass.) with 2:53 to go in the third closed out the scoring.

Freshman Andre Rickerson (Boston, Mass.) was the Bison's leading rusher on the night with 36 yards on seven carries (5.1 ypc). Junior Mark Parker (Natick, Mass.) caught five passes for 39 yards and also racked up 101 return yards. Bennett led the Buccaneers with 58 yards receiving while sophomore Brad Skeffington (Salem, Mass.) rushed for a team-high 44 yards.

The Bison return to action next Saturday, Sept. 22 when they celebrate homecoming with a 1 p.m. contest against Western New England. The Buccaneers host Coast Guard next Saturday at noon.