Host SUNY Cortland scored a combined 52 points between the second and third quarters over visiting Morrisville State College Saturday afternoon, enroute to ta 62-49 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) victory in Cortland.

The loss is the fourth straight for the Mustangs, who drop to 3-6 overall, 2-4 in conference play.

Cortland generated 641-yards total offense to Morrisville State's 622, behind a 294-yard assault on the ground and 347-yard passing game.

John Grassi hit 24-of-34 attempts for 347-yards and four touchdowns passing for the Red Dragons, connecting with leading receiver John Babin 15 times for 160 yards and two scores, and Justin Autera three times for 109-yards and a touchdown.

Dylan Peebles posted 171 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries in the running game for Cortland, while Autera added 133 yards and a score to his tallies on the day.

Matt Ambrose and Tristan Laurore each made 10 stops to lead the defense.

Morrisville State's Lemar Johnson (Ossining, N.Y.) went 32-for-47 for 396 yards and five touchdown passes, hitting Josh Powell (Yonkers, N.Y.) 15 times for 130-yards and four scores.

Sophomore Anthony Gray (Smallwood, N.Y.) caught a collegiate high 13 passes for 187 yards receiving, adding a touchdown.

Cristina Pena (Ridgewood, N.Y.) posted 142 yards in the running game on 21 carries, scoring once.

Delroy Young (Binghamton, N.Y.) led the Mustang defensive effort with 14 total stops, nine solo, including one for a loss of six yards. Senior Jeremy Stewart (Moravia, N.Y.) added eight tackles, becoming the all-time career defensive leader at Morrisville State with 218 total tackles.

Cortland used an 11 play, 83-yard drive midway through the opening quarter to get on the board first, with Peebles capping off the drive with a five-yard scoring run at 8:07.

On the ensuing drive, Morrisville State responded with their own scoring series, as Pena found a hole up the middle to scramble for 43-yards into the endzone. Juan Rios (Grahamsville, N.Y.) completed the point after to even the contest at seven at the 6:18 mark.

An early score in the second quarter by Cortland ignited a 21-point offensive attack before the Mustangs were able to muster another score midway through the quarter. Johnson hit Powell on a one-yard pass play to cap off the 75-yard drive that included a 25-yard pass to Gray and 39-yard run to the left by Pena down to the Cortland one before the score.

Cortland responded seconds later with an 82-yard passing score to regain the 21 point lead, and Morrisville State answered with their second score of the quarter, a Johnson to Powell 21-yard touchdown score, cutting the lead to 14.

Morrisville State scored twice in the third, but another three scores by the hosts found the Mustangs trailing by 17 entering the final frame.

In the fourth, Morrisville State outscored Cortland 14-3, but fell short in time as the Red Dragons posted the win. Just six seconds into the quarter, Johnson found Powell for an eight yard score, making it a 42-59 game in favor of the Red Dragons. Later on Tony Deese (Brooklyn, N.Y.) found Gray on a 27-yard scoring pass play for the 49-62 eventual final.

Morrisville State closes out the season next Saturday, hosting Brockport for the season finale and senior day on Drake Field in Morrisville. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m..

Morrisville State College sets the world in motion for students. Curriculums are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology. Lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs, the college was named to the 2012 President's Higher Community Service Honor Roll. Visit www.morrisville.edu to experience, Morrisville in motion.

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