SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Led by a four touchdown day from senior quarterback Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune), the University of New Haven football team dropped its season opener at Slippery Rock 31-28. Patterson collected 202 total yards in the air with three of his four touchdowns coming among his 12 total completions. He also ran for a touchdown.

Senior captain Ty Headen (Newark, N.J./American History) finished a career-day with 137 yards and two touchdowns, both setting bests in a Charger uniform for the receiver. Senior running back Lemar Thomas (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) led the Chargers ground attack with 64 net yards on 18 carries while classmate Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) ran for 30 yards.

Defensively, the Chargers were led by senior captain Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) who completed his 20th career game with double figure tackles collecting 13 total. Graduate student Dean Tsopanides (Orange, Conn./Torrington / Iowa) and junior Nigel Davis (Williamsville, N.Y./Saint Joseph's Collegiate Institute) followed him with eight each.

SCORING

·         10:20 1st – SRU – Scales 21-yrd run (Chapla kick) – Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:15 – Score 0 - 7

·         3:31 1st – SRU – Greene 71-yd run (Chapla kick) – Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:34 – Score 0 - 14

·         2:07 2nd – UNH – Patterson 1-yd run (Stock kick) – Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 3:10 – Score 7 - 14

·         1:03 2nd – UNH – Patterson 60-yd pass to Headen (Stock kick) – Drive: 1 play, 60 yards, 0:09 – Score 14 - 14

·         5:43 3rd – UNH – Patterson 1-yd pass to Tate (Stock kick) – Drive: 7 plays, 35 yards, 3:52 – Score 21 - 14

·         14:46 4th – UNH – Patterson 57-yd pass to Headen (Stock kick) – Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 4:30 – Score 28 - 14

·         12:38 4th – SRU – King 9-yd pass to Johnson (Chapla missed kick) – Drive: 6 play, 34 yards, 1:57 :: 28 - 20

·         7:38 4th – SRU – Chapla 20-yd field goal – Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 3:11 – Score 28 – 23

·         1:57 4th – SRU – Green 2-yd run (two point conversion failed) – Drive: 7 play, 50 yards, 1:38 – Score 28 - 29

·         0:54 4th – SRU – Team Safety – Score 28 - 31

STATISTICAL LEADERS

·         Senior quarterback Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) led the Chargers with 202 yards on 12-of-26 passes. He finished with four total touchdowns, three in the air and one on the ground.

·         Senior Ty Headen (Newark, N.J./American History) led the Chargers receiving corps with 137 yards and two touchdowns on four catches.

·         Graduate transfer tight end Jesse Tate (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North / Elon) scored his first touchdown as a Charger on a one-yard pass from Patterson that opened the scoring in the third quarter.

·         Senior running back Lemar Thomas (Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack) led the Chargers ground attack with 64 net yards on 18 carries, with his longest going for 14 yards.

·         Senior running back Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) added 30 yards on 13 carries.

·         Junior Danny Stock (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge / Buffalo State) finished 4-for-4 in point after attempts, while averaging 43.6 yards over eight punts.

·         Defensively, senior linebacker Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) led the Chargers with 13 tackles.

·         Graduate student Dean Tsopanides (Orange, Conn./Torrington / Iowa) and junior defensive back Nigel Davis (Williamsville, N.Y./Saint Joseph's Collegiate Institute) each added eight tackles, while junior DB Mark Clements (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest / Worcester Academy) chipped in with seven.

HIGHLIGHTS

·         Junior Stefano Bicknese (Somers, N.Y./Somers / USMAPS) provided the spark the Chargers needed when he picked off a third and goal pass in the end zone and returned it 39 yards to start the first UNH scoring drive.

·         Among the highlights of the opening scoring drive for the Blue and Gold was a 26 yard pass from Ajee Patterson (Neptune, N.J./Neptune) to Rishawn Harris (Springfield, Mass./Putnam Vocational Technical Academy), putting the Chargers in the Red Zone.

·         Patterson capped off the opening scoring drive with a one-yard keeper as he marched the Chargers 61 yards to cut the deficit in half.

·         On the very next drive Leo Lorenzo (Miami, Fla./South Miami / Monroe College) provided another spark when he picked off a deep pass at the UNH 40 yard line.

·         Patterson didn't take long following the Lorenzo interception, completing a long pass to Ty Headen (Newark, N.J./American History) on the next play to complete a 60 yard scoring drive that took just nine seconds and tied the game.

·         The Chargers continued their unanswered scoring run in the second half, extending it to as much as 28-0.

·         Graduate transfer Jesse Tate (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North / Elon) scored his first touchdown as a Charger when he hauled in a one yard pass from Patterson to open the second half scoring.

·         Headen would collect his second TD of the day when he grabbed a pass in the middle from Headen and after breaking free ran for 57 yards to give UNH a two-score lead.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·         Senior Ty Headen (Newark, N.J./American History) moved up two positions into 12th on the all-time receiving yards list passing Bob Wietecha and Tyrone Seabrooks. He now has 1,562 total yards in his career and needs 109 to move into 11th.

·         Senior linebacker Tyler Condit (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) secured the 20th game of his career with double figure tackles, leading the Chargers with 13.

·         Headen's two touchdown catches is the first time in his career with the Blue and Gold that he has scored multiple receiving touchdowns. He now has 15 career receiving TD's and needs two more to move into the top-10 all-time at UNH.  

·         Headen did break into the all-time top-10 in career receptions with his three against Slippery Rock giving him 126 for his career, knocking Ketric Barnes out of the top-10.

·         With his 30 rushing yards against the Rock, senior Andre Anderson (New Haven, Conn./James Hillhouse) now needs just seven to pass Don Highsmith for sixth all-time at New Haven.

NEXT ON TAP
The Chargers begin Northeast-10 conference play when they travel to Brookville, N.Y. to take on the LIU Post Pioneers at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium on Saturday, September 10. Kick off in the NE-10 opener is slated for 1:00 p.m.