Football Starts 0-2 With Loss at Mansfield

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Mansfield (2-0) pitched its second consecutive shutout, blanking Buffalo State 19-0 today at Van Norman Field, dropping the Bengals to 0-2 for just the second time since 1989.

The Mounties opened the scoring with 2:13 remaining in the first quarter when tailback Earnest McNeal broke a 47-yard run for a touchdown, set up by a Ronnie Montgomery interception. Mansfield missed the point-after attempt, and led 6-0. After Buffalo State was forced to punt on its next possession, Mansfield drove the ball inside of the Bengals’ 10-yard line, but Buffalo State forced a turnover on downs when the Mounties failed to convert on fourth-and-one.

Mansfield held on to the six-point advantage until the third play of the second half, until McNeal got lose again, scoring on a 71-yard run. After a failed two-point conversion, the Mounties led 12-0. Mansfield added the final score of the game late in the third quarter on a 26-yard strike from Travis Motley to Joe Bennett.

McNeal finished the day with 209 yards on 18 carries and had three receptions for 13 yards. Motley was 13-for-21 for 145 yards and Bennett was the Mounties leading receiver with four catches for 75 yards. Montgomery added a second interception and also had a fumble recovery.

Buffalo State’s quarterback Mike Mikolaichik (Hilton/Hilton) was 12-of-28 passing for 120 yards with two interceptions. Curtis Hathcock (Buffalo/Bennett) was held to just 44 yards on 14 rushes. Nick Warren (Cheektowaga/West Seneca East) paced the defense with 10 tackles.

Media Contact:
Jeffrey Ventura, Sports Information Director | 7168786030 | venturjm@buffalostate.edu