NEWTON, Mass. – Mount Ida College opened their 2015 home football season with a quick touchdown strike against Plymouth State University, but that was the only score of the game for the Mustangs, who couldn't capitalize on any chances in the last three quarters and fell to the Panthers 9-6 in a non-conference affair on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field.
Senior Melquawn Pinkney (Springfield, Mass.) rushed for 83 yards and punched in a 9 yard touchdown to punctuate a 4 play, 33 yard drive in 1:24 and give the Mustangs a 6-0 lead after a point after attempt failed. That play was set up by a Panthers fumble, forced by Anferne Jimenez (Salem, Mass.) and recovered by Mustang junior Sean Chinova (Watertown, Conn.)
Each team would lose two fumbles in the game, while Mount Ida also came up with an interception.
Plymouth State scored all nine of their points in the second quarter, beginning with a Jeff Madden (Wolfeboro, N.H.) field goal from 20 yards out that was set up by a blocked punt by Zach Ziemba (Manchester, N.H.), the first play of the second quarter, putting the visitors at the Mount Ida 7 yard line.
On the Mustang's next possession, they pushed the ball to Plymouth State's 24 yard line, but Alton George (Foxboro, Mass.) sacked Mount Ida freshman quarterback Jack Sheehan (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and forced a fumble, which was pounced on by freshman Cam McGhee (Winchester, Mass.).
The Panthers went eight plays and gained 76 yards to take the lead on a 13-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Zack Edwards (Brookfield, Mass.) to sophomore Chris Kelly (Belmont, Mass.) with 4:14 to play in the third quarter.
Sheehan threw for 202 yards, completing 14-24 passes in the game, while Edwards went 15-22 for 166 yards with a touchdown and an interception, picked off by Mount Ida's Jared Lucas (Queens, N.Y.).
Mount Ida sophomore wide receiver Nick Hewitt (Killingly, Conn.) had a stand-out day, catching nine passes for 129 yards, including a 36-yard strike.
On the ensuing Mount Ida possession after Plymouth State had taken the lead, the Mustangs stalled at midfield and then a muffed punt stopped them from pinning the visitors deep.
Miscues continued for both teams in the second half. Madden missed a 30-yard field goal midway through the third quarter that would have extended Plymouth State's lead, and Mount Ida sophomore Travis O'Brien (Portsmouth, R.I.) fumbled at the Plymouth State sixteen yard line, with Ziemba pouncing on the ball to stop a Mount Ida scoring drive.
Faouzi Talabi (Brewster, Mass.) caught a 39 yard pass from Sheehan in the fourth quarter to put the Mustangs back into scoring possession, and on fourth and goal from the one, they lined up for a game-tying field goal, but another muffed snap forced Tyler Rogers (Bridgewater, Mass.) to pounce on the ball.
Mount Ida got one last chance to tie the game after an equipment penalty on the Panthers stopped what looked like a game-clinching run by Joe Ceraldi (Cranston, R.I.), who rushed seven times for 37 yards.
The Mustangs got the ball with thirty-four seconds to play and a 26-yard pass to Hewitt put the Mustangs at the visitor 12 yard line. With three seconds to play, a Rogers field goal attempt went just wide left, giving the Panthers their first win of the season (1-1).
Chinova had eight tackles to go with his two fumble recoveries, while Zach March (Saint Paul, Minn.) had five tackles, one and a half for a loss of yardage, and a forced fumble.
Will Perotti (East Canaan, Conn.) led the Panthers with seven tackles, while George had four tackles, one for a quarterback sack, and a forced fumble.
Mount Ida (0-2) continues a three-game home-stand next Saturday with a 1:00 pm game against Springfield College.
The Panthers return home for their first conference game of the year when Western Connecticut State comes to town at the same time.