Football Faces Tough Road Contest at Salisbury on Saturday

Montclair, NJ - Off to its best start in seven years, Montclair State heads back out on the road for a tough test as they battle unbeaten Salisbury University at Sea Gull Stadium on Saturday. The Red Hawks are 5-0 for the first time since 2011 following a 28-0 victory over The College of New Jersey on Homecoming. MSU registered its second straight shutout and held the Lions to just 99 yards of total offense and forced a pair of turnovers. Quarterback JA'QUILL BURCH threw for three touchdowns while CRAIG MERKLE added another on the ground. ERIC MAGNIFICO, BRIAN KOWALCZYK and CARSEN JOHNSON were each on the receiving end of Burch's TD tosses. MAURO ALTAMURAhad five tackles, a sack and an interception for MSU. Like Montclair State, the Sea Gulls are also unbeaten after they slipped past Christopher Newport in overtime 27-24 on the road last Saturday evening. Salisbury squandered a 21-0 lead however Khari Chase scored from 13 yards out in overtime after the Captains had taken a 34-31 lead on their first possession. This will be the 13th meeting between the Red Hawks and Sea Gulls with Montclair State leading 8-4 however Salisbury has the last three meetings. The Sea Gulls won the first contest 13-7 in 1986 before MSU won the next eight contests. Salisbury snapped that streak in 2015 with a 46-16 win at Sprague Field in the first meeting since 2006.