MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Long Island University football team wrapped up its inaugural season of Northeast Conference play on Saturday, Nov. 2, falling to Robert Morris University by a 28-17 final at Joe Walton Stadium.
 
The Sharks gave the Colonials all they could handle during the first half, taking a 17-14 lead into the locker room at halftime, but Robert Morris held the LIU offense in check during the final two quarters to earn the victory.
 
Freshman quarterback Jacob Cheshire made his collegiate debut under center, completing 10 of 19 attempts for 81 yards in the air, while also rushing nine times for 31 yards and one touchdown. Junior Tosin Oyekanmi hauled in four catches for 42 yards, while redshirt-senior Tim Marinan added four receptions for 28 yards. Freshman Malcolm Denbow rushed for 37 yards and one touchdown as well.
 
On the defensive side, graduate student Abel Joseph collected two sacks as part of a five-tackle performance and senior Ramshar Clarke contributed one sack and three total stops. Junior Abdoulaye Konate led the Sharks with nine total tackles, while graduate student Grant Ibeh and freshman Caleb Caslow added six. Freshman Kobe Hylton also collected his first career interception during the contest.
 
After Robert Morris took a 7-0 lead, redshirt-freshman Briant DeFelice knocked home a 34-yard field goal to cut the deficit to four points at the end of the first quarter. The Sharks completely shifted momentum during the second stanza, holding an 11:55 to 3:05 advantage in time of possession and found the end zone twice to take the halftime lead.
 
Cheshire opened the scoring during the quarter with a one-yard burst up the middle for his first career score, capping off a seven-play, 49-yard drive. On the ensuing kickoff, the wind knocked down DeFelice's kick into a vacant area of the sideline and the Sharks recovered the live ball at the Colonial 31-yard line to bring the offense back onto the field. After a key third down completion to Oyekanmi, the Sharks were set up in the red zone and Denbow found a crease from eight yards out for his first scoring play of his career, putting LIU ahead 17-14.
 
The Colonials took back momentum during the third quarter when quarterback George Martin scrambled away from the LIU rush and scampered into the end zone from 12 yards out on 3rd-and-goal to retake the lead at 21-17. Robert Morris added another score during the fourth quarter and held LIU to just 23 yards during the half to earn the win.
 
LIU will close out the 2019 schedule with two non-conference matchups following a bye week. The Sharks will travel to nationally-ranked Villanova University on Friday, Nov. 15 before the season finale at home against Merrimack College on Saturday, Nov. 23.