SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Trailing by seven in the final five minutes, the University of New Haven football team scored back-to-back touchdowns in the final two minutes for a thrilling 31-24 victory at American International Saturday afternoon on homecoming day in Springfield. Henry Adegunle (Rockaway, N.Y./Channel View) scored the game-winner on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Joey Bradley (Issaquah, Wash./Issaquah / University of North Dakota) with 54 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Winners of four straight, the Chargers improve to 4-3 overall and 4-2 in the Northeast-10 Conference. Previously unbeaten in Division II this season, the Yellow Jackets drop to 5-2 overall and 5-1 in conference play.

On the first drive of the fourth, AIC took nearly half of the quarter to go 60 yards on 16 plays and take a 24-17 lead with a 26-yard field goal. UNH answered with its own long drive, a 13-play, 78-yard series which was capped by a 5-yard touchdown catch from Bradley to Ty Headen (Newark, N.J./American History) with 1:50 left to play. After a short kickoff return, the Yellow Jackets took began their possession at their own 29-yard line. On the first play of the drive, wide receiver Stephen Davis found space and the last defender in his way was Herbens Antenor (Malden, Mass./Malden) who forced a fumble and recovered in AIC territory. With 1:40 on the clock, the Chargers needed just three plays before Adegunle broke free down the middle of the field for the go-ahead score.

New Haven, who controlled the ball for over 36 minutes in the game, managed 30 first downs on 76 offensive plays. UNH ran for 214 yards on 44 carries, while the Yellow Jackets were held to 128 yards on 29 carries.

With a career-high 136 rushing yards, Trevor Officer (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) averaged 5.7 yards on 24 carries. Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) added 59 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 13 carries, while Bradley chipped in with 13 yards on four keepers. Through the air, Bradley finished the day with 257 yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-32 passing. His top target was once again Ty Headen (Newark, N.J./American History) with five catches for 38 yards and a touchdown. Courtney Moshood (Miami, Fla./Miami Palmetto) recorded four catches for 36 yards and Adegunle brought in two for 74 yards and the game-winning score.

Defensively, the Chargers surrendered just 336 total yards and forced four fumbles, three of which were recovered by UNH. Herbens Antenor (Malden, Mass./Malden) forced and recovered the Yellow Jackets final fumble which set up the go-ahead drive in the final minute. Matt Zakrzewski (Traverse City, Mich./Saint Francis / Indiana) led the defense with 10 total tackles, including eight solo stops. Jacob Weaver (Wilmington, Del./Archmere Academy) and Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) each added seven stops.

American International was led by quarterback Kevin Arduino with 208 yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-28 passing. Terrell Williams led the rushing attack with 82 yards on 15 carries.

A defensive first quarter started with four straight punts at, Abdown Field. New Haven's third series concluded with an interception and the Yellow Jackets took advantage of a short field on offense. AIC took over at the New Haven 6-yard line and scored on its first play of the drive to take a 7-0 lead with 1:34 left in the first quarter.

The teams then exchanged fumbles before the Blue and Gold eventually took over on offense again with 47 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. UNH began its first scoring drive of the game at its own 20-yard line. Anderson would put in the Chargers first points 4:55 later after a 10-play, 82-yard drive. The sophomore running back punched in a touchdown from 2-yards out to even the game at 7-7 early in the second stanza.

Three additional punts and a New Haven interception were all the rest of the first half featured as the teams went into the locker room tied at 7-7.

The Yellow Jackets took the lead back on their first drive of the second half. They went 75-yards on 12 plays and finished the drive off with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Arduino to Davis with 11:01 on the clock.

UNH answered with a scoring drive of its own. New Haven marched 65 yards on 11 plays to set up a 20-yard field goal for Brian Roberts (Amherst, N.Y./Amherst Central). The sophomore kicker nailed his third of the season and brought the Chargers within four, 14-10, with 6:14 left in the third.,

Seemingly unstoppable in the third quarter, the AIC offense again marched the length of the field on its next drive to take a larger lead. Arduino found,Evan Graham from 37 yards out to increase the AIC lead to 21-10 with 4:23 left in the third.,

The high-scoring third quarter continued as New Haven answered with a 9-play, 73-yard drive which was capped by another Anderson 2-yard touchdown plunge. Roberts point after once again brought the Chargers within four, 21-17.

As the third quarter came to a close, American International controlled possession and scored for the third straight time. The Chargers defense bent, but didn't break this time, as a huge third down stop by Antenor and #Isaac Coates, Jr.# forced AIC into a field goal attempt. After splitting the uprights, from 26-yards out, the Yellow Jackets went ahead 24-17 with 7:26 left in the fourth.

Highlighted by a huge 4th-and-10 scramble for a first down from Bradley, the Chargers next series was finished with Headen's 5-yard touchdown grab in the flats off the right side of the formation.

Antenor then forced the AIC fumble and Adegunle capped off the victory with the 40-yard touchdown catch and run.,

New Haven returns to action on Saturday, October 25 when it hosts Merrimack for its homecoming game at Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium. The Warriors dropped their NE-10 game 41-13 to Assumption Saturday afternoon. Game time in West Haven, Connecticut next week is set for 1 p.m.