BEVERLY, Mass. - The Curry College football team fell short in its Commonwealth Coast Conference opener on Saturday afternoon, suffering a 27-34 defeat against Endicott College at Hempstead Stadium.
With the loss, Curry opens its conference play with a record of 0-1 and falls to 2-2 overall on the season.
Neither team broke through in the opening quarter, but Endicott got on the board within the first minute into the second quarter when Ryan Smith (Glastonbury, Conn.) sent a 41-yard kick through the uprights.
Curry scored its first points of the contest shortly after Endicott, as Edison Thompson (El Dorado, Ark.) capped an eight play 65-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run.
The Gulls answered back within two minutes, marching 72-yards down the field in six plays, scoring with a 26-yard run by Gulls running back John Kenney (Wilmington, Mass.) putting the hosts up 10-7.
The Colonels were able to immediately answer back with a 63-yard run by Curry junior Chris Jenkins (Hyde Park, Mass.). Curry re-claims the lead, score is then Curry 14, Endicott 10.
With six minutes remaining in the first half, Curry senior quarterback Justin Mullaney (Danvers, Mass.) is intercepted by Gulls defensive back Joeseph Pagett (Newtown, Conn.). With one play, Endicott quarterback Mike Ingraffia (Kings Park, N.Y.) completes a pass for 47-yards and a score to Shane Aylward (Tewksbury, Mass.). Curry is unable to answer back before the half with Endicott in the lead 17-14.
Endicott scores first in the second half with another rush by John Kenney (Wilmington, Mass.) capping off a quick 6 play 73-yard drive putting the Gulls up 24-14. The Gulls are the last to score in the third quarter with a 33-yard field goal from Ryan Smith (Glastonbury, Conn.), score still in favor of the hosts now 27-14.
The Colonels work the ball down the field at the start of the fourth quarter. A six minute, 78-yard, and 11 play drive results in another Colonel score. Justin Mullaney (Danvers, Mass.) completes a pass to Maxx Bell (Auburn, Maine) for 5 yards. Colonel's kicker Billy Lynch (Mansfield, Mass.) is blocked by Jack Slattery (Chelmsford, Mass.) of Endicott on an extra point attempt holding the score at 27-20 Gulls.
Endicott's final score arrives with just under eight minutes left on the clock as Curry's senior quarterback Justin Mullaney (Danvers, Mass.) is intercepted by Tim Russel (Stoneham, Mass.) who takes it 57 yards for a score.
Curry is able to score once more with five minutes left on the clock with a pass complete to Angel Martinez (Everett, Mass.) for 21 yards capping off a quick 7 play 66-yard drive slimming the deficit, score is then 34-27 still in favor of the Gulls. The Colonels are able to force the Endicott offense to punt the ball back with three minutes left on the clock but to no avail. Endicott holds the Colonels offense on their own 22-yard line and seals the victory with a final score of 34-27.
Curry senior quarterback Justin Mullaney (Danvers, Mass.) finished the contest with 22 completions on 38 attempts for 274 yards. Jenkins was Curry's leading rusher, picking up 133 yards on the ground on 14 total attempts.
Seven different Colonels caught passes from Mullaney, led by junior Gabe DeSouza (Everett, Mass.) with eight catches for 105 yards, a team-high in the loss.
Defensively, senior Gregory Silvia (Coventry, R.I.) led Curry with seven tackles in the defeat, four of them solo.
Curry will return to the gridiron on Saturday against Husson at 1 p.m. away at the Dr. John W. Winkin Sports Complex in Bangor, ME.
#BleedPurple
