Box Score
Box score

Madison, NJ … In a back-and-forth battle that spanned over three hours and 52 minutes in part due to a one-hour lightning delay, The College of New Jersey football team defeated Farleigh Dickinson University-Florham 45-28 on Friday night in Madison, NJ.
 
The win was the first in 2012 for the Lions (1-1), while the Devils dropped their home opener at Shields Field. Trailing 21-14 late in the second quarter, TCNJ rattled off 24 unanswered points to seize control of the game and secure the road victory as they now set their sights on the opening of New Jersey Athletic Conference play next Saturday.
 
Quarterback Dan Dugan (Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) produced another eye-opening performance as he broke the record he tied just a week ago in his first career start. The senior play-caller completed a program-record 34 passes for 308 yards on 46 attempts. Dugan threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Frederick Sprengel (Wall, NJ/Wall) and a 17-yard scoring strike to Matt Rosati (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) while also finding the end zone with his second rushing touchdown of the season.
 
Senior running back Justin Doniloski (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Hills) rushed for over 100 yards for the second straight game. He gained 123 yards on 26 carries including a touchdown and also had seven catches. Classmate Nicholas Tyson (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Boro) registered a pair of touchdown runs and six receptions for 37 yards.
 
The opening half read like a carbon copy of last week for the Lions. They marched down the field on their opening drive and capped it with a one-yard TD run from Doniloski. Later in the quarter, they put together another impressive drive that culminated with a short scoring run by Dugan.
 
But the offense fell quiet in the second quarter and a pair of big scoring plays by FDU put the host team ahead 21-14 with just over a minute remaining in the first half.
 
On their opening drive, the Lions charged out of the gate with a 23-yard rush from Doniloski. After the drive appeared to stall at the FDU 35-yard line, TCNJ went for it on 4^th-and-5. Dugan found senior Glenn Grainger (Island Heights, NJ/Holmdel) with a five-yard pass to move the chains and keep the drive alive. Six plays later, Doniloski punched it in from one yard for his second touchdown of the year as the Lions took a 7-0 lead.
 
The Devils put together a six-play, 66-yard scoring drive as Frank Travigno ran plunged into the end zone for their first touchdown of the season. Senior Michael Lambert (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) forced a fumble after a completion in FDU territory, but the home team recovered to sustain the drive.
 
Senior co-captain Zach Friedrich (Berlin, NJ/East Stroudsburg South) responded immediately when he fielded the kickoff and returned it 23 yards to open the Lions ensuing drive. After a penalty and a completion, TCNJ faced 3^rd-and-15 from its own 16-yard line. Dugan came up clutch, hitting wide receiver Kevin Barry (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) with a 28-yard completion for a critical first down.
 
Dugan and Barry would connect twice more in a six-play, 66-yard drive that was punctuated by a three-yard touchdown scamper by the senior quarterback.
 
Similar to their defeat a week ago to Ursinus College, TCNJ was victimized by the long ball. FDU quarterback Mike Santos connected on touchdown passes of 70 and 63 yards to give the Devils a seven-point lead. But Dugan completed four passes in the final minute of the half and senior Derick Hughes (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville) drilled a 36-yard field goal as time expired to cut the deficit to 21-17 and give TCNJ some momentum at the intermission.
 
The Lions' defense tightened up after the break, forcing the Devils to punt on their first four possessions of the second half and allowing just three first downs. On their fifth possession, senior defensive back James Siracusa (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) took the ball back himself, stripping  Craigh Kimbrough of the football and recovering the fumble to give TCNJ possession in Devils territory. The Lions held FDU to 60 yards in the third period.
 
On the ensuing drive, Dugan broke the school record with a 37-yard scoring strike the Sprengel. Sprengel finished with a career-best five catches for 93 yards and his first collegiate touchdown reception.
 
Rosati then snared a 17-yard touchdown pass followed by a nine-yard run from Tyson put the game away.
 
Several Lions enjoyed productive games on offense. Freshman Victor Scalici (Freehold, NJ/Colts Neck) got his collegiate feet wet compiling 99 yards of total offense. He gained 57 yards on nine carries and also caught three passes out of the backfield for 42 yards. Grainger caught six passes for 39 yards and Barry had three receptions for 37 yards.

Hughes launched eight punts for an average of 42.9 yards, including a long of 66 yards.
 
On the defensive side, senior Greg Burns (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) led the Lions with 11 tackles. Lambert made eight tackles, junior Ryan Lowe (Howell, NJ/Howell) compiled six takedowns, and classmate Patrick Kimball (Seaville, NJ/Ocean City) had five tackles including three tackles for a loss of 10 yards. Senior Thomas Hoppe (Manville, NJ/Immaculata) grabbed his first career interception late in the fourth quarter.
 
Burns is now 16 tackles shy of the program record of 284 held by Carl Jones '87.
 
TCNJ opens its NJAC schedule next Saturday on the road at The College at Brockport. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.