On Saturday, the Chargers faced their Northeast 10 (NE-10) conference rival, the Bentley University Falcons. Bentley had been off to a hot start in their season with an overall record of 3-0. But the Chargers didn’t let that record phase them as they went on to beat Bentley 45-34, making this the third consecutive game where New Haven’s electric offense has put up 45+ points in a game.
To kickoff the game, the Chargers won the coin toss, and elected to kickoff to Bentley. On their first drive, they weren’t able to move the ball, and ended up punting to the Chargers after a three and out. For the Chargers first drive, quarterback Daelen Menard was able to complete a nice pass to wide receiver Mikey Caines for 19 yards, but after that play they were unable to move forward, and had to punt the ball.
On the punt a Bentley player was offside and ended up giving the Chargers the ball back on fourth and short, but ended up being stopped again. The Chargers defense stopped Bentley again, trading turnovers on downs with the Chargers. On the next drive for the Chargers, they drove the ball down the field and were able to punch the ball into the endzone with a touchdown from running back Christopher Ais.
Following the Chargers scoring drive, Bentley had the same idea and drove down the field and quarterback Brett Pullman completed a pass to Rashon Bradford for an eight yard touchdown tying the game 7-7. On the first play of the next Chargers drive, Ais broke free and rushed 60 yards for a touchdown, which put New Haven at a 14-7 advantage.
Bentley was then unable to get anything going and punted the ball back to New Haven who then drove down the field scoring on a 34 yard touchdown from Menard to Caines making things 21-7. With 45 seconds remaining, Bentley was able to score off a 75 yard touchdown passing play from Pullman to Bradford wrapping up the first quarter.
The second quarter began with New Haven driving from their own five-yard line but facing a setback when Menard fumbled at the Bentley four-yard line, which was recovered by the Falcons. Bentley’s offense capitalized on the turnover, tying the game at 21-21 after a touchdown pass from Pullman to Pat Damon.
New Haven responded with a series of strong rushes by Ais, but their drive stalled, resulting in a blocked punt by Bentley.
Bentley took over and advanced the ball to the New Haven 40-yard line, but their drive ended unsuccessfully with a blocked field goal attempt. New Haven’s final possession of the quarter ended with a kneel down, entering halftime with the score tied at 21-21. The intense back-and-forth plays showcased both teams offensive capabilities and set the stage for a competitive second half.
The third quarter opened with New Haven quickly advancing the ball, highlighted by Ais’ standout 60-yard rush to the Bentley 19-yard line. After a few attempts, Menard connected with Caines for a touchdown, putting New Haven ahead 28-21. Bentley struggled on their next drive, failing to convert on fourth down, which gave New Haven another opportunity to build their lead.
They continued to push forward, with running back Zaon Laney making significant gains, and Ais able to cap off the drive with a successful 25-yard field goal, extending the lead to 31-21. Bentley tried to respond but faced a setback when Pullman threw an interception to the Chargers defensive back Giye Jenkins. New Haven capitalized on this momentum, with Ais rushing for additional gains as the quarter came to a close. The Chargers ended the third quarter with a score of 31-21.
In the fourth quarter, New Haven extended their lead to 38-21 with a five yard rush by Ais before Menard connected with tight end Evan Chieca for a seven-yard touchdown pass. Bentley struggled to respond, and after a series of incomplete passes, they were unable to gain traction, leading to a punt. New Haven took advantage of this opportunity, with Laney making a spectacular 51-yard rush for another touchdown, increasing their lead to 45-28. Bentley fought back as Pullman threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to Bradford, narrowing the score to 45-35.
However, after an unsuccessful onside kick, New Haven regained possession. They worked the clock down with effective running plays, but a delay of game penalty forced them to turn the ball over on downs. Bentley made one final attempt, but their drives resulted in turnovers on downs as the game concluded, securing the win for New Haven with a final score of 45-35. After the win over Bentley, the Chargers have an overall record of 3-1 and 2-0 in conference play. New Haven will take the field again at 1 p.m. on Saturday as they host the American International College Yellow Jackets as their homecoming opponent. The game will be held at the Ralph F. DellaCamera Stadium. For more information, visit NewHavenChargers.com.
