Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass. – Junior Joe Lambert (New Haven, Conn.) caught six passes for 159 yards and one touchdown in Nichols College's 34-6 loss to Framingham State in a cross-division New England Football Conference (NEFC) contest Friday night at Vendetti Field.

Junior Pat Viencek (Bernardston, Mass.) passed for 257 yards for the Bison, who were outgained 430-286 on the evening and fell to 0-2 on the season. Viencek and Lambert hooked up for an 80-yard touchdown in the second quarter, which is the longest passing play in program history, breaking the previous record of 79 yards from Ben Karter to Michael Carven in 2003.

The Rams rushed for a program-record 402 yards and four touchdowns – including 226 yards and two scores by junior Melikke Van Alstyne (Salem, Mass.) – to even their record at 1-1. Framingham State sophomore signal caller Matt Mangano (Winchester, Mass.) scampered for 171 yards and also reached the endzone twice. The Bison, meanwhile, were held to -16 net yards of rushing, led by 37 yards from sophomore Jonathan Winbush (Boston, Mass.).

Defensively, sophomore Julon McCoy (Gardner, Mass.) tallied a game-high 16 tackles (10 solo) and a pair of sacks while senior captain Peter Curto (Braintree, Mass.) racked up nine (three solo). The Rams pressure Viencek and senior Jacob Shoup (Boca Roton, Fla.) all evening, registering five sacks and 10 quarterback hurries. Junior Jeff Touron (Brockton, Mass.) led the charge with a team-high eight tackles (four solo) – including three for loss – to go along with two QB hurries and one sack.

The Rams jumped out to a 7-0 lead 2:54 into the contest when Van Alstyne capped a three-play, 55-yard drive with a 40-yard touchdown run. Later in the quarter, Mangano rushed in from four yards out to close a 12-play drive and extend the lead to 13-0 (failed PAT). Lambert's 80-yard catch and run accounted for the only scoring in the second and cut the Bison's deficit to 13-6 (failed PAT) going to the locker room.

The game turned heavily in the Rams favor during a two-minute span midway through the third. With the Bison facing a third-and-10 from their own 19, the ball was snapped over Viencek's head and into the endzone, where it was recovered by junior Kevin Donahue (Norfolk, Mass.) for a touchdown to give the Rams a 20-6 lead.

On the ensuing drive, Viencek was intercepted by senior Tyrone Notice (Gardner, Mass.) at the Framingham 41. Mangano then went 59 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the drive to put the Rams ahead by three touchdowns with 4:47 to go in the third. Van Alstyne's second touchdown of the night from one yard out with 4:34 on the clock in the fourth capped the scoring.

For Nichols, junior Mark Parker (Dedham, Mass.) hauled in four receptions for 66 yards while senior David Gonzalez (Springfield, Mass.) caught four passes for 56 yards. Sophomore Brett Franciosi (Leominster, Mass.) returned three kickoffs for 96 yards – including a 57-yard burst in the first quarter.

The Bison return to action next Friday when they host Massachusetts Maritime at 7 p.m. The Rams host Mass.-Dartmouth Saturday, Sept. 15 at 1 p.m.