Montclair, NJ - Junior wide receiver AARON WILLIAMS hauled in a pair of touchdown passes as Montclair State took over first place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference with a 20-16 victory over Rowan University at Sprague Field on Saturday afternoon.

Sophomore running back DENZEL NIEVES rushed for 108 yards and also added a touchdown as the Red Hawks won their sixth straight game (6-1). MSU moved ahead of the Profs for the top spot in the league standings as Rowan (4-3, 3-1 NJAC) had their four game-winning streak snapped  with the loss. Montclair also posted their first win over the Profs since 2011 and now lead the series between the two teams 31-23.

Williams pulled in passes of 13 and 24 yards from GABE DIMASI, the latter one a 24-yard grab on the first play of the fourth quarter that gave the Red Hawks a 20-13 lead. Rowan responded driving to the MSU 8 before settling for a 25-yard field goal by Tyler Knighton (Gibbstown, NJ / Paulsboro) with 10:39 to play cutting the lead to 20-16.

After trading punts, the Profs came up with a huge defensive play as tackle Anthony Rizzolo (Green Brook, NJ / Watchung Hills) leaped and intercepted a short pass over the middle on a third-and-5 with 5:41 to go giving Rowan the ball at its own 49. Rowan pushed the ball down to the Montclair 24 yardline however the Profs came up short as a fourth-down pass was caught out of bounds along the right sideline with 2:01 left.

Montclair took  68 seconds off the clock with three running plays and punted back to Rowan with 53 ticks remaining. Quarterback Bill McCarty (Williamstown, NJ / Williamstown) threw four straight incompletions, the last one batted away by C.J. CONWAY sealing the game for MSU.

The teams traded punts on the first five possessions when MSU took at its own 49 yard line with 51 seconds to go in the first quarter. DiMasi hit Williams for 45 yards down to the Rowan 10 on the last play of the quarter. A pass interference penalty put gave Montclair a first down at the Rowan 5 however a hold on the Red Hawks pushed the ball back to the 13. DiMasi dropped back and hit Williams in the end zone for a 6-0 MSU lead as the extra point was blocked by the Profs' Chris Alvarez (Cliffside Park, NJ / Cliffside Park).

Two possessions later the Profs counter as Withler Marcelin (Ocean Township, NJ / Ocean Township), who rushed for 160 yards, ran four times for 22 yards getting the ball out to the Rowan 47. Two plays later McCarty hit Russ Forchion (Clementon, NJ / Hammonton), who leaped over a defend on his way for a 49-yard score with 7:02 left. Montclair State returned the favor blocking the extra point as the game was knotted at 6-6. The Profs would take the lead on its next drive marching 77 yards in nine plays mostly on the back of Marcelin who carried six times for 67 yard on the drive, including a highlight reel 35-yard run for a touchdown in which he broke through several tackles. Knighton's extra point was good as Rowan led 13-6 at the half.

The Red Hawks got the ball to start the second half and went 80 yards in seven plays to tie the score. DiMasi connected with MALCOLM ROBINSON for five yards on a 3rd-and-3 and hit BEN KOHLE for 14 yards out to the MSU 46. Nieves burst through the left side on the next play for 45 yards for to the Rowan 9 before scampering through two plays later for the touchdown as Montclair deadlocked the game at 13-13 with 10:59 to play in the third.

Montclair State had chance to go back on top later in the period as Michaek Klimek recovered a fumble off a punt near midfield. The Red Hawks drove the ball to the Rowan 25 however back-to-back penalties pushed MSU back toward midfield and it would punt the ball back to the Profs, who then gave the ball back to MSU as a short punt put  Montclair at the Rowan 44 with 2:14 left in the third. DiMasi completed a pass 12 yards to NICK CASSETTA on the first play and two rushes by Nieves pushed the ball to the Rowan 20. A four-yard loss on the next play ended the quarter at the Rowan 24 but on the first play of the fourth Williams pulled in a DiMasi pass bobbling it for a second before securing it and racing 24 yards for the goal ahead score with 14:51 left.

Forchion returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards to put Rowan in business at the 46 yardline and a 31-yard run by Marcelin got the ball down to the MSU 21. Facing 3rd-and-12 at the MSU 23, McCarty connected with Warren Oliver as the latter tip-toed along the sideline for the conversion. Two rushes and an incomplete pass left the Profs with fourth down that turned into three points on Knighton's 25-yard attempt with 10:39 to go.

DiMasi finished 16-of-30 for 191 yards in his first start. MALCOLM ROBINSON had four catches for 29 yards with DEVON LEVESQUE getting three catches for 24 yards. JOE JANOVIC averaged 44.6 yards per punt on nine attempts while MICHAEL TENPENNY led the defense with nine tackles. BILL SHIMKO and ERIC GARGIULO had eight apiece.

The Red Hawks outgained the Profs, 284-275.

Montclair State is back in action on Saturday, November 1 heading to Cortland, NY for a 1:00 pm NJAC mathcup with the Red Dragons on SUNY Cortland.