ALFRED, N.Y. – The SUNY Morrisville football team battled back in the fourth quarter Saturday afternoon but fell a few yards shy of completing the comeback attempt as host Alfred University collected the 21-16 Empire 8 win in Alfred.

THE BASICS:

• Final Score: Alfred 21, Morrisville 16 (halftime: Alfred 21-7)
• Location: Yunevich Stadium at Merrill Field, Alfred, N.Y.
• Records: Alfred 4-3, 3-0 E8; Morrisville 1-6, 0-3 E8

 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Visiting SUNY Morrisville football held the host Alfred University Saxons scoreless in the second half as they put together a comeback effort Saturday afternoon but fell short late in the fourth as the hosts collected the Empire 8 win.
• Morrisville outgained the Saxons in total offense on the day, 254 to Alfred's 211, including a 156-yard gain through the air.
• Steven Frerichs (Wilson, N.Y.) led the Mustangs under center connecting on 17-of-30 total passes for 143 yards and a touchdown, with Alek Britten (Schenectady, N.Y.) added another three completions for 13 total yards in his seven pass attempts.
• Jarrell Chaney (Albany, N.Y.) collected a Morrisville best 59 yards on his four receptions, with another 41 yards coming from Toure' Hall, Jr. (Stratford, Conn.) who reined in five.
• Justin Donnelly (Meridian, N.Y.) ran for a team high 70 net yards on 18 attempts, averaging 3.9 per carry, while collecting a score.
• Hall added 31 more yards on his six carries.
• Defensively, Basil Watson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) caused havoc in the backfield for the Saxons, picking up a total seven tackles, five of which were for a loss of 17 yards, while recording three for a loss of 15. He also had a pass breakup on the day.
• Ernesto Mitchell (Wheatley Heights, N.Y.) and Date McGowan (Rochester, N.Y.) each added five, along with Will Brown (Amherst, N.Y.).
• Alfred opened the contest with a score midway through the first quarter, with running back Max Freeman breaking through for a 62-yard scramble to the endzone on the Saxon's opening play of the drive.
• Ealy in the second they added to their total with a 17-yard scoring pass play from Blake VanWoert to Keandre Sanders.
• Within minutes, Alfred regained possession after forcing a Mustang turnover that resulted in a 32-yard interception return into Morrisville territory.
• Following a few strikes downfield, Freeman moved the ball forward for a one-yard rushing score and 21-0 host lead.
• Morrisville was able to cut into the Saxon's lead and put numbers on the board before the halftime period with a 38-yard field goal from freshman Owen Cole (Maspeth, N.Y.).
• Morrisville's defensive unit held Alfred on their first drive of the third quarter and the squad followed with a 10-play, 72-yard scoring drive that was capped off by a 13-yard rushing score from Donnelly, cutting the lead to 21-10.
• Once again, the defensive unit went to work and was able to hold the Alfred offense within their own territory, returning the ball after a Saxon punt to the Mustangs to start the fourth quarter.
• Frerichs connected with his wideout unit to move the ball downfield, and after a 16-yard strike to senior Rory Matz (Port Jervis, N.Y.), he hit Brandon Mapp (Staten Island, N.Y.) on the left for the nine-yard score.
• The two-point pass attempt by Frerichs failed.
• Morrisville forced the Saxons to a quick four play series on the ensuing drive and regained possession with 8:34 remaining.
• Two straight completions to Hall bought the Mustangs to the Alfred 34, and following a 19-yard connection to Donnelly, down to the red zone where Morrisville threatened to score.
• A series of pass attempts to Donnelly and Hall fell short, including one on fourth down that bounced in front of Hall on the goal line.
• Alfred secured the win maintaining possession in the final minutes of the contest.

 
 
WHAT'S NEXT:
 

• Morrisville returns to the road next Saturday, traveling to Utica College for a noon kick off.

 
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