Pace Football Goes Off for 51 Points in Win Over Stonehill
PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Scoring their most points in a game since 1987, the Pace University football team collected their first home win of the season in dominant fashion, defeating Stonehill 51-30 on Saturday. The Setters improve to 3-2 overall on the season and are now 2-2 in conference play. Inside the Numbers *Recording more than 450 yards for a second consecutive game, the Setter offense was firing on all cylinders throughout the day. Carlton Aiken (Gibbstown, NJ/Paulsboro) had another stellar performance, completing 17-of-his 20 pass attempts for 240 yards and four touchdowns. He added 48 yards on the ground, and was credited with a receiving touchdown on his own pass that was deflected. *Pace ran for 221 total yards on the ground with three different rushers finding the endzone. Jhalen Bien-Aime (Dorchester, MA/Bridgton Academy) led the attack with 138 yards and a touchdown, while Aiken and Kashmier Jackson (Sterling, VA/Potomac Falls) also collected rushing TDs. Bien-Aime is now 18 yards shy of breaking the program's all-time career rushing record. *Adrian Rybaltowski (Howell, NJ/Freehold Township) was Aiken's favorite target, hauling in five receptions for 133 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a career-best day. Phyll Thomas (New London, CT/Bridgton Academy) collected his first touchdown of the season on a 40-yard completion. *Defensively, the Setters won the turnover battle by a 3-1 margin. Isaiah Williams (Newburgh, NY/Newburgh Free Academy) and Harrison Moran-Fernandez (Union City, NJ/Union City) each had interceptions, while Mike English (Arlington, MA/Arlington/Bridgton Academy) forced a Stonehill fumble that was recovered by Kadeem Langhorne (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin). Five different Setters recorded five or more tackles, with Langhorne leading the way with seven. *The 51 points scored was the most by the Setters since 1987, when Pace scored 53 against Trenton State. How it Happened Aiken set the tone in the first quarter, finishing off Pace's first two drives of the day with touchdowns. He capped off a 10-play, 82-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run before catching his own pass and running into the endzone to put Pace ahead 14-0 heading into the second quarter. The Skyhawks and Setters traded field goals to begin the second. After Pat Davis' (Forked River, NJ/Lacey Township) 37-yard kick, Moran-Fernandez got Pace the ball back two plays later with his interception. The Setters would find the endzone again four plays later off of a two-yard Bien-Aime run. The Skyhawks responded before halftime with a touchdown of their own, sending Pace to the locker room up 23-10. Momentum swung in favor of the Skyhawks in the third, as Stonehill opened up the half with two straight touchdowns to pull ahead 24-23. The lead would be shortlived, as Aiken hooked up with Rybaltowski on a 55-yard touchdown four minutes later. A successful two-point conversion put Pace ahead 31-24 entering the fourth. The Setters scored three straight touchdowns in the final quarter to put the game away. Aiken found Rybaltowski again nine seconds into the quarter on a 59-yard strike to extend Pace's lead to 38-24. On the Blue and Gold's next drive, Aiken found success with the deep ball again, connecting with Thomas on a 40-yard touchdown. Jackson would deliver the final blow of the day with a 17-yard run with 2:27 left in regulation. Up Next: The Setters return to action on Oct. 13, hitting the road to take on Bentley.