WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Nichols College football team opened the 2016 campaign with a 34-21 defeat at Westfield State University Friday night in non-conference action at Alumni Field.
Freshman back Joshua Pierre-Charles (Millis, Mass.) scored a pair of touchdowns for the Bison and finished his collegiate debut with 79 rushing yards on nine carries (8.8 ypc). Classmate Chris Mullins (Centreville, Va.) – also making his collegiate debut – went 10-of-31 with three interceptions but did rush for a two-yard TD.
Westfield State junior signal caller Shawn Brathwaite (Brooklyn, N.Y.) completed 22-of-36 for 223 yards and three touchdowns for the Owls, who outgained the Bison 489-233. Sophomore Travon Holder (Hartford, Conn.) rushed for 168 yards on 18 carries (9.3 ypc) while sophomore Evan Cain (Marlborough, Mass.) tallied 10 receptions for 91 yards and one score.
Nichols senior captain Matthew McEvilly (Clinton, Mass.) notched a game-high 21 tackles – five of which were for a loss. Junior teammates Patrick Isacsson (Canyon Country, Calif.) and Brett McEvoy (Wrentham, Mass.) each made 14 tackles. Junior John Ollari (Millers Falls, Mas.) led the Owls with seven.
Pierre-Charles capped a four-play, 46-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run to open the scoring at 9:19 of the first period. The TD run was the first of his career and marked the only scoring in the opening stanza.
Nichols turned the ball over three times in the second quarter which led to 17 unanswered points by Westfield State. The Owls first points of the evening came on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Brathwaite to sophomore Devin Lekan (Chelmsford, Mass.) that made it 7-6 following a missed PAT.
Mullins fumbled the ball away on the ensuing possession, which led to a six-yard TD pass from Brathwaite to sophomore Matt Thall (Marlborough, Mass.) at 11:09. Junior Cam Card (Swansea, Mass.) caught the two-point conversion attempt to make it a 14-7 WSU lead.
Mullins would throw two more picks in the second quarter, the second of which led to an eight-play, 51-yard drive that culminated with a 30-yard FG from freshman Norman Carroll (Springfield, Mass.) that closed the first half scoring.
Nichols climbed to within three at 17-14 early in the third on a two-yard TD scamper by Mullins. The six-play, 72-yard drive was highlighted by a 54-yard completion to junior WR Derrick Warren (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). The drive ate up just 1:54 off the lock.
On the next play from scrimmage, Holder broke loose for a 68-yard run before being tackled at the one. Junior Ryan Wilder (Turners Falls, Mass.) scored on the next play to push the WSU lead to 24-14 with 8:38 to go in the third. A 39-yard field goal late in the third stretched the Westfield State lead to 27-14 before a nine-yard touchdown pass from Braithwaite to Cain at 7:29 of the fourth made it 34-14.
Pierre-Charles' second touchdown of the evening – a 40-yard run up the gut on the next possession – brought Nichols to within two scores at 34-21. The score was proceeded by a 22-yard pass from Mullins to junior Mike Abbruzzese (Natick, Mass.).
All-Time Series
Tonight's meeting marked the 27th all-time meeting between Nichols College and Westfield State University. The Owls ran their win streak to three and improved to 17-10 lifetime against the Bison with the win.
Next Games
Nichols (0-1) – Friday, September 9 vs Anna Maria, 7:00 p.m.
Westfield St. (1-0) – Saturday, September 10 @ Western New England, 1:00 p.m.