MANCHESTER, N.H. – For only the third time in program history, and the first time since 1993, the University of New Haven football team scored 70-points in a 70-26 Northeast-10 Conference victory at Saint Anselm College Friday night.

Senior quarterback Ronnie Nelson (Stuart, Fla./South Fork ) shined with 312 passing yards and 171 rushing yards with five total touchdowns. The Stuart, Fla. native went 17-for-28 in the pocket and tossed a game-long 72 yard strike to Courtney Moshood (Miami, Fla./Miami Palmetto). The team's leading rusher, senior running back Mike DeCaro (Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay ) amassed 205 rushing yards with three touchdowns on 19 carries. The team's third 100-yard rusher, Trevor Officer (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) saw most his time in the second half and totaled 113 yards on 14 carries with one score. Friday night marked the first time three UNH players have amassed 100-plus yards rushing since the program returned to the gridiron in 2009.

One of two, and possibly three, remaining undefeated Northeast-10 Conference teams, the Chargers improved to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play. The Hawks dropped to 0-3 overall and 0-2 in the NE-10.

On his third carry of the first series, DeCaro became the fourth player in New Haven football history to rush for 2,000 yards in a career. After his nightly total, he moved in to fourth place in the UNH record book with 2,179 career rushing yards.

Tight end Michael Flacco (Audobon, N.J./Gateway Regional / The Community College of Baltimore County - Catonsville) was the leading receiver for New Haven with four catches for 107 yards and one touchdown. Nick Music (West Milford, N.J./West Milford ) added three grabs for 48 yards and two scores. Ty Headen (Newark, N.J./American History) also recorded multiple catches in the win.

The Chargers amassed an amazing 821 total yards on 81 offensive plays for a 10.1 per play average. The total yardage is also a team-high since 2009.  They ran for an astonishing 509 yards and seven touchdowns on 53 carries.

On special teams, Anthony Greenfield (Bloomfield, N.J./Paramus Catholic / Wagner) came on PAT shy of tying to program's all-time record as he went 10-for-10 in the win. He also recorded a 50-yard average on 10 kickoffs in the win.

Defensively, Najae Brown (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Mount St. Michael / Trinity Pawling) led the team with nine total tackles. Kervin Edouard (Somerville, Mass./Somerville ) added seven total tackles including one sack.

The Chargers opened on defense and the Hawks began the game with a six-play, 26-yard drive which ended in a punt. The teams then exchanged two offensive series before New Haven scored the game's first points late in the first quarter. UNH took over after a touchback with 3:06 left in the first. Four plays and 80-yards later DeCaro found the end zone for the games first point. His 46-yard run capped a short four-play, 80-yard series to give the Chargers an early 7-0 lead.

Saint Anselm answered with its first scoring drive of the game, going 45-yards on eight plays before quarterback Andrew Murphy completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Justin Bernard 45-seconds into the second quarter. The two-point conversation attempt failed and UNH held on to a narrow 7-6 lead. New Haven's next offensive series was halted by a Tyrel McDonald interception of Nelson. Two plays later, Saint Anselm gave the ball back as Murphy mishandled a shotgun snap and Matthew Fallico (Syracuse, N.Y./Fayetteville Manlius / Hudson Valley) fell on the loose ball.

For the second-straight week, Nelson connected on a long ball with Courtney Moshood (Miami, Fla./Miami Palmetto). The first play of the series went 72-yards to the Saint Anselm three-yard line before Moshood was taken down on a shoe-string tackle. Two plays later, Nelson completed a two-yard touchdown pass to Nick Music (West Milford, N.J./West Milford ) with 11:11 left in the second quarter to give UNH a 14-6 lead.

Ryan Monette returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards for Saint Anselm to the Chargers' five-yard line. One play later the Hawks closed the UNH lead back to one, 14-13. Once again, the New Haven offense prevailed five plays later when DeCaro found the promise land for the second time of the evening with 8:43 left in the second quarter. The Chargers took a 21-13 lead after the Anthony Greenfield (Bloomfield, N.J./Paramus Catholic / Wagner) extra point.

The Hawks then marched all the way down inside New Haven's 30-yard line before their drive stalled on fourth down. New Haven took over on the on its own 26-yard line and went 74 yards on six plays to take a 28-13 lead with 1:36 left in the first half. After a three-and-out by the Hawks which took just 31-seconds off the clock, New Haven's attempt to gain additional points to end the half came up short at the Saint Anselm 29-yard line.

Opening the second half, Saint Anselm attempted an on-side kick and the Chargers recovered at the Hawks' own 44-yard line. Three plays later, Nelson threw his second touchdown pass of the night to Music. The 34-yard score gave UNH a 35-13 lead with 14:22 left in the third.

Saint Anselm also scored on its first drive of the second half. The Hawks marched 59 yards on nine plays to New Haven's two-yard line before Murphy completed another touchdown to Bernard to bring the score within 15, 35-20.

The teams again exchanged touchdown over the next eight minutes and brought the score to 42-26 with 3:30 left in the third. Nelson scored the Chargers' touchdown with a one-yard touchdown run at the 5:14 mark. The UNH offensive series was highlighted by a one-handed catch in the out-stretched arm of Flacco to set up a first-and-10 from the Saint Anselm 15-yard line.

Immediately after Saint Anselm brought the score to 42-26, DeCaro burst out for a 51-yard touchdown run with 3:15 left in the third quarter to push UNH ahead 49-26. The score was the first of 28-straight points to close out the game for the Chargers.

As the game entered the fourth quarter, UNH put together its longest drive of the game: a 12-play, 67-yard drive over the course of 5:15. Nelson capped the series with an 11-yard touchdown run to put the Chargers ahead by 30 points, 56-26.

The Chargers' next two series also ended with touchdown, one 16-yard touchdown run from Officer and the final by freshman Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) from 14 yards out.

New Haven returns to Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium next Saturday, Sept. 28 for another NE-10 tilt with LIU Post, the first conference meeting between the Pioneers and Chargers in series history. Game time for Family Day is set for 1 p.m. in West Haven, Conn.