Upper Montclair, NJ (11/22/03) – Freshman Vin Doffont (North Arlington, NJ/St. Mary's) kicked a 52-yard field goal with 2:25 remaining and JOHN LENNOX (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) blocked a game-winning 36 yard attempt as Montclair State edged Allegheny College, 20-19, in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs at Sprague Field on Saturday afternoon.

EUGENE VICK (Newark, NJ/Hillside) rushed for a school playoff-record 200 yards as the Red Hawks (9-1) won their ninth straight and advanced to the second round and will host Ithaca College on Saturday, November 29 at Sprague Field. Montclair State fell to Ithaca, 35-23, at home in the 2001 playoffs. It will be the fourth NCAA meeting between the teams. The Bombers (9-2), who defeated Brockport State, 14-9 today, have won all three previous contests (1985, 1986, 2001).

The win snapped a three-game NCAA Playoff losing streak for Montclair State and improved the Red Hawks record in the national tournament to 7-7. Allegheny College suffered its fifth straight NCAA loss.

Montclair State trailed 19-17 with 3:13 to play before taking over at its own 39-yard line. On the first play, JOHN DIGIROLAMO (Morris Plains, NJ/Parsippany Hills) completed a 22-yard pass to a sliding BRIAN LOWENSTEIN (New Milford, NJ/New Milford) at the Allegheny 39. SHAUN PERRYMAN (Dunnellen, NJ/Dunnellen) then pulled in a four-yard pass, but two consecutive incompletions left the Red Hawks with fourth-down at the Allegheny 35. Doffont, who kicked the game-winning field goal against Rowan last week (a victory that put MSU in to the NCAAs), then lined up to attempt a 52-yard field goal, eight yards longer than his previous high. His kick sailed through the air and clipped the back end of the crossbar, bouncing through sending the Montclair State bench into a frenzy. Doffont's kick set a new MSU single-game record (of 50 set twice) and tied the NCAA Playoff mark for the longest field goal set by Rod Vesling of St. Lawrence against Wagner in 1982.

But Allegheny had one last chance taking over at its own 37. Bubba Smith (Doylestown, PA/Chippewa) completed two passes into MSU territory and a pass interference penalty put the Gators (7-4) at the MSU 30. A Smith pass to Brian Woods (Pittsburgh, PA/Avon North) got Allegheny to the 24 and Smith ran twice down to the MSU 19 with seven seconds left. After successive timeouts, Aaron Polack (Medina, OH/Medina) was sent in to attempt a 36-yard field goal. As he lined up for the attempt, Lennox timed the snap count, leaped over the line of scrimmage and blocked the kick, ending the game and Allegheny's seven-game winning streak.

The MSU fourth-quarter comeback was its second straight as last week against Rowan the Red Hawks came from nine points down in the fourth quarter to win that game. This time it was a 10-point rally as Montclair trailed 19-10 heading into the final period.

Maintaining its possession from the end of the third, the Red Hawks moved 79-yards in six plays, thanks large in part to Vick, whose 13-yard touchdown run capped the drive and brought MSU within two points, setting up the thrilling final minutes.

Vick posted his second 200-yard game of the season as he became the 10th MSU back in school history and first since Ron Lewis in 1999 to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in a season. The junior broke Joe D'Iorio's Red Hawk NCAA Playoff mark of 193 yards set against Buffalo State in 1999. Vick has 1,154 yards this season – fifth-highest season total in school history.

Allegheny trailed 7-3 in the second before reeling off 16 consecutive points. Polack kicked a 29-yard field goal to cut the deficit to one and Woods almost single-handedly put Allegheny in front. His 35-yard punt return and 34-yard reception put Allegheny at the MSU 4. Two plays later, running back Kyle Geiser (Orrville, Ohio) took a pitch and threw back to Smith for a two-yard touchdown and a 13-7 Gator lead with 6:39 left before half. After Montclair failed to answer, Woods again made the big play as he returned a punt 57 yards to the MSU 24. A 12-yard pass to Wood and a pass interference penalty gave Allegheny the ball at the two where Jamie Sye (Titusville, PA) dove over for the touchdown to put the Gators in front 19-7 at halftime.

Smith finished 25-of-40 for 205 yards for Allegheny, which was held to 37 yards rushing in the game and 244 total yards. Woods had eight catches for 84 yards while Jon Turner (Franklin, PA) had three catches to set a new Gator single-season reception mark with 62. Steve Williams (Westover, WVA) had eight tackles and David Pisanick (Duncansville, PA) had seven tackles and 2 ½ sacks as he finished with 30 sacks in his career, an Allegheny record. The Gators had six sacks on the day.

For Montclair State, DiGirolamo finished 13-of-30 for 131 yards. Wide receiver JASPER HANKINS (Union, NJ/Union) had five catches for 31 yards and STEVE ARMSTRONG (Paterson, NJ/St. Mary's) had three for 48 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. Linebacker RAY MEYER (Hasbrouck Heights, NJ/Hasbrouck Heights) had 10 tackles and two sacks while Derrick Morrison (West Orange, NJ/West Orange) and PAUL GOLDEN (Seaside Park, NJ/Central Regional) added 10 tackles apiece. Lennox had two sacks, including one that stopped an Allegheny drive at the MSU in the first quarter. MSU totaled 314 yards of offense.