Box score

Montclair, NJ … For 45 minutes, The College of New Jersey football team was on course to pull off a major upset in New Jersey Athletic Conference play holding a 14-10 lead over #14 Montclair State University heading into the final period.

But the Red Hawks scored 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to turn back the Lions 30-14.

Junior quarterback Tom Fischer (Livingston, NJ/Livingston) hit Joe LaSala (Clark, NJ/Colonia) with a 19-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the closing period to give Montclair State (5-0, 4-0 NJAC) a 17-14 lead, and saw that gap widen when defensive back Gary Knoeppel (West Long Branch, NJ/Shore Regional) picked off a pass and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. Matt Jimenez (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) capped off the scoring on the Red Hawks ensuing drive with a two-yard touchdown plunge to extend MSU's unbeaten record to five games in 2010.

Sophomore running back Joe Falco (Ocean, NJ/Ocean Township) scored a pair of rushing touchdowns in the second quarter to stake the Lions a 14-10 lead. Falco scampered in from 14 yards out, and then dodged tacklers from five yards out with six seconds remaining in the half to give TCNJ a four-point lead at the intermission. Falco finished the game with 46 yards on 10 carries.

TCNJ turned in another solid defensive effort holding MSU to 74 rushing yards on 30 attempts. After giving up 10 points in the opening period, the Lions kept the Red Hawks off the board through the second and third quarters. Junior linebacker Michael Lambert (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) led TCNJ's defense with nine tackles including a sack for a nine-yard loss. Sophomore linebacker Greg Burns (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) turned in eight tackles and recovered a pair of fumbles. One fumble recovery set up a touchdown after he raced 18 yards following the pick-up.

TCNJ played the possession game in the second quarter holding the ball for 10:36 of the period. After cutting the lead to 10-7, junior running back Justin Doniloski (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Hills) shouldered the load of a 15-play, 65-yard scoring drive that ate up the final 6:36 of the first half. He carried the ball seven times for 38 yards to get to the Red Hawks 11 yard-line. Three more carries by Falco and the Lions possessed their first halftime lead of the season.

The defense stopped Fischer and the MSU offense on its first three drives of the third quarter. But Fischer was difficult to contain as he engineered a 59-yard scoring drive in just four plays to take the lead. Fischer finished 18-of-27 for 216 yards and two touchdowns. He hit Byron Lewin (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) with 21-yard TD pass in the first quarter. Lewin finished with nine catches for 96 yards.

Quarterback James Donoghue (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) completed 8-of-14 passes for 65 yards, three of which went to sophomore wide receiver William Friedrich (Berlin, NJ/East Stroudsburg South) for 18 yards. Sophomore James Siracusa (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) also had a catch for 10 yards that gave the Lions a first down. 

Junior linebacker Chris Jones (Greenfield, NJ/Ocean City) was credited with 1.5 sacks taking Fischer down for a loss of 14 yards. He also had six tackles and forced a fumble. Sophomore Tyler Olsson (Kendall Park, NJ/South Brunswick) booted nine punts for 319 total yards including a 54-yarder in the third quarter from his own five yard-line.

It was the second touchdown return in two weeks for Knoeppel. He returned a pick 37 yards into the end zone last week in a 21-7 win over Kean University.

The Lions remain on the road visiting Morrisville State University next Saturday, October 16. The game is slated for a noon kickoff.