SMITHFIELD, RI – Bryant junior running back Lorenzo Perry (Providence, R.I.) rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns to help lead the Bryant University football team to a 20-19 Northeast-10 Conference win over visiting Pace University before 4,820 at Bulldog Stadium Saturday afternoon.  The win improves Bryant’s record to 3-1 on the season (3-1 NE-10) while Pace, with the loss, drops to 1-3 (1-3 NE-10).

After Pace quarterback Mike Timmerman (Saddle Brook, NY) fumbled on the Setter’s opening drive on the Pace 45 yard line, the Bulldogs took advantage of the excellent field position as Perry and quarterback Charles Granatell (Franklin Lakes, NJ) engineered a seven-play, 45-yard drive capped by a Perry 13-yard touchdown run around the right side to put the Bulldogs up 6-0 in the first.

Timmerman would again turn the ball over on the Setters’ next possession as Emannuel Holmes (Miami, FL) intercepted the senior quarterback at midfield, giving Bryant excellent field position once again.  And just as before, Perry and the Bulldogs made the visitors pay for the costly turnover as the junior scampered in from six yards out to put Bryant up 13-0.
Pace would answer as Rueben Sullins (New Rochelle, NY) scored on a 10-yard run and Joe Toronto (Fair Lawn, NJ) returned a blocked Bryant punt 27 yards to tie the game at 13-13 with 1:09 left in the first quarter.

In the second, Pace would take a 19-13 following a pair of Luigi Casale (White Plains, NJ) field goals midway through the second quarter, but following a 59-yard kickoff return by Jon Zenquis (Northridge, Mass.) to the Pace 26 yard line, Granatell would plunge in from a yard out to put the Bulldogs on top for good, 20-19.

Granatell finished the day completing 20 of 32 passes for 194 yards and was intercepted three times.  Perry had 57 yards receiving for the Bulldogs. 

Timmerman finished the day 7 for 19 passing for 83 yards while Mitchell Backus (North Babylon, NY) had 56 yards rushing on 16 carries. 

Bryant will travel to C.W. Post next Saturday for a 12 p.m. game in Brookville, NY.  Pace will host Bentley next Saturday in Pleasantville, NY.