Box Score KINGSTON, R.I. - Redshirt junior running back O'Shawn Ross, Jr. ran for a season-high 130 yards on 11 attempts as the Long Island University football team (1-3) began a three-game stretch away from home Saturday evening, falling 28-7 to No. 6/7 University of Rhode Island (4-0, 2-0 CAA) before a crowd of 5,520 fans at Meade Stadium.
LIU drove the ball to the Rams 23-yard line midway through the first quarter but turned the ball over on downs. On the ensuing URI drive, sophomore defensive back Jalen Bell intercepted Rams quarterback Devin Farrell to set up the Sharks at their own 44-yard line.
Rhode Island, however, intercepted redshirt sophomore quarterback Chris Howell three plays later to set up an eight-play, 55-yard drive which culminated with an Aboraa Kwarteng five-yard touchdown reception from Farrell with 1:09 left in the quarter to give the hosts a 7-0 lead.
Farrell connected with Marquis Buchanan on a 35-yard scoring pass just 57 seconds into the second quarter to extend the Rhode Island lead to 14-0.
LIU got on the board with 36 seconds remaining in the second quarter as Howell capped off an 11-play, 67-yard scoring drive with a six-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 14-7 at halftime.
Howell, who was making his first start of the season, completed 10 of 28 passes for 101 yards and two interceptions while rushing for 45 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts. Graduate wide receiver Deion Richardson and freshman wide out Jayden Simpson paced the Sharks receiving corps with three catches apiece.
Defensively, graduate linebacker Rafael Fasolino turned in his fourth consecutive strong performance for the Sharks. Fasolino (5 solo, 4 assisted) tied Bell (8 solo, 1 assisted) for the team lead in tackles with nine. Bell also added two tackles for loss on the evening.
Rhode Island scored 14 unanswered points in the second half to pull away. URI narrowly edged LIU in total yards of offense, 351-308, but the Sharks failed to capitalize on multiple scoring opportunities. LIU went 1-for-3 in the red zone, 1-for-3 on fourth down, and 2 of 12 on third down.
The Sharks will open their NEC schedule next Saturday, Sept. 27, when LIU travels to North Easton, Massachusetts to take on Stonehill College (1-3, 0-0 NEC). Kickoff at W.B. Mason Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.
The game can be seen digitally on NEC Front Row and heard on the LIU Sharks Audio Network via the Varsity Network App beginning at 12:30 p.m.
