CNBNews

GLASSBORO, NJ -- Salve Regina's Jake Stack scored on a QB run with 21 seconds left to sour Rowan's home opener on Saturday as the Profs fell to the Seahawks, 28-24.

Rowan looked like it had the game in hand a play earlier as the defense made a big stop on a fourth and goal from the seven but a personal foul penalty gave Salve Regina a first down at the three. Stack was able to get in the end zone for the eventual game-winning score.

For the Profs, James Fara rushed for 103 yards on the ground while quarterback Mike Husni threw for 195 yards on 18-of-26 attempts with two TDs. Both of those scores went to John Maldonado who finished with 104 yards on six grabs. Tight end CJ Barrett tied a career high with 10 catches, to end with 63 yards.

Defensively, Kevin Vandever recorded 12 tackles, a career best. Ahmad Gantt, Eric Matos, and Aeneas Robinson each added seven stops. Matos and Josh Ortiz registered a tackle for loss apiece.

The Profs got on the board on the game's first drive, going 72 yards on 15 plays resulting in a Jake Hurler 20-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. Salve drove down to the Rowan 9 on its first possession, but a field goal attempt from 26 yards was wide right. Husni's TD sneak from the SRU one early in the second put the home team up, 10-0.

Later in the frame, the Prof Defense turned the ball back on downs after stopping a fourth and 10 from the Rowan 20. Five plays later, Husni connected on a 50-yard scoring strike to Maldonado in the end zone, upping the lead to 17-0 with just over a minute in the half.

Salve opened the third quarter on a 15-play, 82-yard drive that ran off over eight minutes. Ryan Janz dove into the end zone from the Rowan one-yard line to give the visitors it first points. The Seahawks held Rowan on a fourth and 2 at the Salve 34 in the latter stages of the quarter, and would later add the second score early in the fourth as Stack hit Hayden Hulme on a 13-yard score to cut the lead to three.

On the ensuing kickoff, Nicho Ferrogine forced a fumble on the return in which Salve recovered at the Rowan 24. After a defensive pass interference on a third and 5 from the Prof 19, the Seahawks faced a first and goal from the four. Evan Laroche then gave SRU its first lead of the game on a one-yard TD run with 10:47 to play.

Husni's legs kept Rowan's drive alive on the next possession. Facing a third and 7 from their own 11, Husni broke free for an 15-yard scamper for a first down. Later in the drive, the Profs reclaimed the lead as Maldonado went up and over a defender in the end zone on fourth and 10 from the Salve 20 with 3:54 remaining. It was the second-straight multi-TD game for Maldonado.

The Seahawks put together a 15-play, 82-yard drive that took over three minutes capped with Stack's eventual game-winning score. The Profs gave it one last chance on offense, but ran out of time after a completion in the middle of the field as the clock expired.

Stack was 11-of-28 for 135 yards passing and added 55 rushing yards. Janz totaled 77 yards on the ground while Hulme finished with 42 yards on three catches.

Rowan will open NJAC play next weekend as the team travels to Christopher Newport in a 1 p.m. start.