WAYNE, N.J. – Oh, what a difference a week can make.

The TCNJ football team put together a defensive performance for the ages on Saturday, becoming the second team in Division III history to hold an opponent without a first down as the Lions suffocated host William Paterson en route to a 33-2 NJAC victory.

The Lions limited the Pioneers to a mere 65 yards on 41 plays and joined 1985 Case Western as the only squads in NCAA history to pitch a first-down shutout. The all-around effort was a remarkable 180 from a week ago, when Salisbury put up 70 points to spoil Homecoming. This time, it was TCNJ putting a damper on a would-be Homecoming celebration. 

Newly-installed quarterback Malin Jasinski gave TCNJ a big spark, throwing for 128 yards and a touchdown in his first career start – with a touchdown reception to boot from his customary receiver slot. Logan Flaherty had a pick-six as TCNJ maintained complete control on both sides of the ball for its first road win of the season.

Jayson Schmidt racked up a career-high 120 rushing yards and Thomas Burke hauled in a touchdown reception for the second time in three weeks. 

The Lions opened the scoring on a 36-yard field goal by Bobby Wortman midway through the first quarter, and a quick three-and-out by the defense set the visitors up near midfield on their next drive.

It took just five plays to get into the end zone from there, the big one a 27-yard completion from Jasinski to Ryan Gill, who came down with his first career catch. A 13-yard toss from Jasinski to Reese Martinelli on 2^nd-and-long put TCNJ at the 3 and Ryan McKinney took it from there, plunging into the end zone for the game's first touchdown.

Three plays after that, Flaherty stepped in front of a Simon Condemi pass and returned it 37 yards to the house to make it 16-0 at the 2:41 mark of the opening frame. Oddly, the Pioneers got on the board on the ensuing extra-point attempt, blocking the kick and taking it 98 yards the other way for a two-point play.

All three phases coalesced to expand the lead to 23-2 midway through the second. Brian Puccio downed a beautiful punt at the William Paterson 2, and the defense capitalized as Patrick Frawley and Jacob Maurice combined to bring down running back Nazir Dale for a 3-yard loss on 3^rd-and-2.

The Lions started at the plus-37 after a short punt, and Jasinski marched them right down the field to pay dirt, with a 24-yard dump-off to Joe Ciempola preceding a 7-yard strike to tight end Thomas Burke.

Jasinski showed off his versatility at the end of the half, going back into the slot and taking a slant pass from Trevor Bopp for a 20-yard gain to the Pioneer 30. A pass interference on a fourth-down incompletion gave TCNJ new life, and Jasinski cashed in with a contested catch at the goal line on a tight-window throw by Bopp to give the blue and gold a 30-2 advantage with 52 seconds left in the half.

TCNJ's dominating defensive performance permitted the Pioneers a measly 39 yards on 23 first-half plays, and William Paterson failed to register a single first down before intermission. Condemi and Mele' Stallings combined to go 2-for-9 for negative-2 yards and an interception.

The break did nothing to dull the Lions' defensive momentum. TCNJ took its first-down shutout into the fourth quarter, stuffing the Pioneers on 4^th-and-inches from the Lions' 37 as Ryan McGuire shot the gap to make the stop.

The Lions added one more three-and-out for good measure and picked up a first down on their ensuing possession to run out the clock.

Nineteen different players recorded a tackle for TCNJ, with Cole Groschel and Chris McCormack notching five apiece to tie for the team lead. Steven Rodriguez was credited with a sack.

TCNJ has won seven straight against William Paterson, and hasn't allowed more than 14 points in any of the last five meetings. 

The Lions make their final NJAC road trip of the season next Saturday when they head to Christopher Newport for a 1 p.m. kickoff.