Box Score

Ewing, NJ (10/3/08) – Kean University scored a four touchdowns in the final quarter to hand The College of New Jersey its first New Jersey Athletic Conference loss of the season as the Cougars held on for a 35-24 victory at Lions' Stadium on Friday.

The Cougars have now won three out of the last four games against the Lions and this marked the first time in the series history Kean has won back-to-back meetings.

After Kean scored in the first minute of the final period, the Lions took a 24-17 lead in the fourth quarter as junior Chase Misiura (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) scored on the three-yard run and junior kicker Marc Zucconi (Marlton, NJ/Holy Cross) added the point after.

Kean then turned the game over to running back Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, NJ/Monmouth Regional) as the junior ran for a pair of scores with the first coming from three yards and the second from 18. Those scores came with 7:21 and 2:48 remaining, respectively, in the game. Each time the point after was unsuccessful leaving the Cougars in front 29-24. Chunn finished the game with 2-1 yards rushing on 27 carries with those two scores.

The Lions made one last effort to pull out the victory, but Kean's Chris Lauda (Staten Island, NY/Curtis) returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown on the game's final play making the final 35-24. It marked the second straight week the Cougars have scored on the last play.

The final flurry of points in the fourth was set in the third as TCNJ quarterback Chris James (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) connected with junior Jeff deZutter (Bedminster, NJ/Bernards) for a 27-yard touchdown pass. Zucconi again converted the PAT giving the hosts a 17-7 advantage.

Kean trimmed that margin by three later in the third as by junior Richard Jaeger (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) was good on a 31-yard field goal attempt.

The Cougars scored the only points in the first quarter as junior Chris Aquino (Somerville, NJ/Somerville) ran behind the left side of his offensive line for seven yards and the touchdown. The point after was added Jaeger making it a 7-0 Cougar lead.

TCNJ picked things up in the second quarter with a pair of scores with one coming on special teams and the other coming from its defense. The first came off of the foot of Zucconi, as he drilled career-long 47-yard field goal.

While Kean was making a push in the final seconds to add to its 7-3 lead, but the Lion defense turned the tables returning an interception for a touchdown. Junior Paul Mychalczuk (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) started the play intercepting a pass at the Kean 33-yard line before pitching the ball back to junior Ryan Flannery (Galloway, NJ/Absegami), who continued into the end zone. After Zucconi converted the PAT, the Lions led for the first time at 10-7. That score came only five seconds before the half.

Misiura led TCNJ's ground game with 82 yards on 15 carries and one score, while James was 18-for-41 through the air with a touchdown.

Kean signal caller Thomas D'Ambrisi (Eatontown, NJ/Monmouth Regional) went 9-for-20 for 139 yards through the air.

On the defensive side of the ball, Marc Fabiano (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood), Justin Beres (Galloway, NJ/Holy Spirit) and Mychalczuk each finished with eight tackles.

The Lions continue NJAC play on Saturday, October 11 at College at Brockport in a 1 p.m. start, while the Cougars head to Buffalo State for a noon start.