ALFRED, NY – The Alfred State football team jumped out to an early 14-0 lead before falling to SUNY Brockport 24-14 on Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Stadium. The Pioneers scored twice in the opening half, but a fourth-quarter surge by the Golden Eagles ultimately decided the contest.
Chase Shepanski led the offense by completing 9-of-17 passes for 150 yards and adding a rushing touchdown.
Jordan Jackson hauled in four receptions for 108 yards, while
Liam Rogers added two catches for 27 yards.
Defensively,
Trevor Maly paced the Pioneers with 10 tackles.
Chris Bergman,
Aaron Ellis, and
Ryan Heinz each added eight tackles, with Bergman recording an interception and Heinz forcing a fumble.
The Pioneers wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, putting together a nine-play, 74-yard drive in the opening quarter. Shepanski capped off the possession with a three-yard touchdown run, and
Matthew Perry converted the extra point to give Alfred State a 7-0 lead. Alfred State continued to build momentum early in the second quarter, extending its advantage with another scoring drive. The Pioneers marched 60 yards in five plays before Joseph punched in a two-yard touchdown run. Perry's second successful extra point gave Alfred State a 14-0 lead with 11:28 remaining in the half.
Brockport answered midway through the second quarter, with a 13-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 14-7. The Golden Eagles found the end zone again just before halftime with 13 seconds remaining to even the score at 14-14 heading into the break. Both defenses held strong throughout the third quarter, keeping the game tied entering the final 15 minutes of play.
Brockport broke the deadlock early in the fourth quarter with a pick-six, that gave the Golden Eagles their first lead of the afternoon at 21-14. The Golden Eagles added to their lead late in the fourth quarter, putting together a nine-play, 34-yard drive that ended with a 22-yard field goal. The kick extended Brockport's advantage to 24-14 with 3:29 remaining.Brockport would hold firm to get the win.
The Pioneers will hit the road to take on Hartwick College next Saturday with kickoff scheduled for 3 p.m.
