Union, N.J. (10/25/14) – The Kean University football team suffered a 21-14 homecoming loss to SUNY Cortland on Saturday afternoon in NJAC action.
The Cougars (2-5, 2-2 NJAC) streak of 19 straight yearly contests against the Red Dragons (3-4, 3-2 NJAC) comes to an end after this season as Cortland moves to an affiliate member of the Empire 8 Conference next fall.
Tied at 14-all after the break, the game was decided on a fumble by Kean deep in Cougar territory late in the third quarter. Cortland turned the great field position into the winning score two plays later as John Grassi found K.J. Zinermon streaking on the right side of the endzone for the final.
Kean recorded its opening score on an Austin Davis (pictured left) 60-yard interception return in the first quarter and took a 14-6 lead midway through the second quarter on Robert Meade's 34-yard TD pass to Jonathan Schmitt. Meade finished 19-of-40 passing for 126 yards and Brandon Robinson caught nine passes for 56 yards. Stephan Lewis and Nick Gjoni led the Cougars with seven tackles apiece.
Cortland drove 86 yards to the Kean 5-yard line on its second possession of the game before settling for a Shane Cronin 23-yard field goal. On the Red Dragons' next series, Davis picked off John Grassi and returned the ball 60 yards for a TD and 7-3 lead.
Late in the first quarter, the Red Dragons started a drive on their own 29-yard line but moved downfield on a Jon Mannix 19-yard catch, a Dylan Peebles 29-yard run and a Layton Lassiter 20-yard reception on three consecutive plays. Peebles finished with 71 yards on 20 rushes. With 1st-and-goal at the Kean 3-yard line, the Kean defense held and forced two runs and an incomplete pass. Cortland settled for a 20 yard field goal from Cronin to draw within one at 7-6.
Kean's best drive of the day started on its own 15-yard line with 10:23 left in the first half. Meade hit Robinson for a 48-yard completion on 3rd-and-12 from the 13-yard line, and two plays later he found Schmitt for a 34-yard TD pass and a 14-6 lead.
Late in the half, Cronin's 45-yard punt stuck the Cougars at their own 5-yard line. On 3rd-and-7, Gabe Ostrow sacked Meade, forced a fumble and recovered the ball at the 5 with 2:04 left. Cortland was flagged for holding on its first snap, but Grassi hit Mannix for a 15-yard TD pass on the next play. He then threw a 2-point pass to Mannix to tie the score at 14-14.
Two of Cortland's third-quarter possessions resulted in missed field goals by Cronin from 45 and 42 yards. Kean, however, was unable to capitalize and a fumble was recovered by Tolosi at the Kean 10-yard line with 21 seconds left in the period.
Cortland outgained Kean in total offense, 349-236, despite possessing the ball for only 26:41 to Kean's 33:19.
Grassi finished 21-of-36 passing for 248 yards and two touchdowns. Zinermon caught nine passes for 55 yards and a score and Mannix finished with six catches for 88 yards and a TD, along with a two-point conversion reception.
Tyler Anderson led Cortland with eight tackles, seven solo, with two for losses, and he broke up a pass.
Kean heads to the road for the first of two straight away contests and will face The College of New Jersey next Saturday.
