Jersey City, NJ (11/09/02) — The Montclair State football team scored 20-first half points and coasted to a 20-8 victory over New Jersey City University at the Thomas M. Gerrity Complex on Saturday afternoon. The win was the Red Hawks (5-4, 4-1 NJAC) 33rd in 34 meetings with the Gothic Knights.

The victory sets up a showdown next week for the New Jersey Athletic Conference title with Rowan. The Profs, ranked third in Division III, enter the game with a perfect 9-0 record and 5-0 mark in the conference. Rowan won last year's game with a 53-21 win in Glassboro. MSU captured the 1999 and 2000 titles.

MSU jumped out to a 7-0 lead on its first possession as quarterback JOHN DIGIROLAMO connected on a 48-yard touchdown pass with 11:41 in the first quarter.

On the next NJCU possession, the Gothic Knights drove to the MSU 30 yardline. But on the 10th play of the drive, NJCU quarterback KASEY NUNEZ fumbled and the loose ball was picked by safety PAUL GOLDEN. Golden then raced 67 yards for a touchdown to make the score 14-0 with 1:30 to play in the opening period.

The Red Hawks would score once more before the half marched 61 yards in nine plays. Freshman Zack Earvin capped off the drive with a five-yard run, his fifth of the season.

New Jersey City would get on the scoreboard with 11:03 in the fourth as Nunez scored on a two-yard run and added the two-point conversion himself to cut the deficit to 20-8.

Montclair was forced to punt and NAAZIR JACKSON reutnred the kick 42 yards to put NJCU at the Red Hawk 45. Nunez then directed NJCU to the Montclair 26 with a seven-yard run, but the Gothic Knights were stopped cold as linebacker PAT FREELAND recorded an eight-yard loss on third-down NJCU turned the ball over after Nunez' pass on fourth-down was incomplete.

Earvin finished the day with 81 yards on 17 carries while DiGirolamo completed 10-of-17 passes for 154 yards before leaving in the third quarter. ERIC MAGRINI had four catches for 44 yards.

Meanwhile, Freeland led the MSU defense with 11 tackles (eight unassisted) while senior KEITH MIGLIORINO added 10 tackles and two sacks. RAY MEYER had 2 1/2 sacks as MSU held NJCU to 153 total yards ad recorded seven sacks in the game.