STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Despite an early first quarter blocked punt for a touchdown, the Stony Brook football team came up short in a 14-9 loss to visiting William & Mary on Saturday afternoon at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium in a CAA Football Conference game.
 
The Seawolves dropped to 5-4 overall and 4-2 in the CAA Football standings. The Tribe is 4-5 overall and 2-4 in the league. Stony Brook remains in contention for a FCS Playoff berth with two games remaining on the schedule.
 
Scoring

• Stony Brook struck early thanks to a blocked punt return for a touchdown on the first drive of the game by William & Mary. DB Synceir Malone blocked the kick and DB Kye Morgan scooped it up and returned it six yards into the endzone. Przemyslaw Popek's PAT was good.
• William & Mary tied the score on the second play of the second quarter with a one-yard run by RB Kendell Anderson that capped an 11-play, 54-yard drive. Kris Hoopers' PAT was good.
• The Tribe took the lead with a four-yard pass from QB Steve Cluley to WR Daniel Kuzjak midway through the second quarter. The pass capped a nine-play, 51-yard drive. Kris Hooper's PAT was good.
• Stony Brook added two points on a safety when William & Mary P Tyler Hiott ran out of the back on the end zone late in the fourth quarter.

The Numbers

• Stony Brook once again outgained its opponent with 210 yards of total offense on 58 plays, while William & Mary had 205 yards on 71 plays.
• RB Stacey Bedell led the ground game with 16 carries for 58 yards.
• P Marc Nolan punted seven times for a 41.3 average, including a long of 55 yards.
• Stony Brook had a season-high 14 penalties for 117 yards, while William & Mary was flagged five times for 54 yards.

 
Quoting the Seawolves
Head coach Chuck Priore
"Congratulations to William & Mary. This was certainly not a great effort on Stony Brook's part. The 14 penalties say enough."
 
"You put it all in perspective. William & Mary is a good football team. That is the first thing we all have to understand. I said it during the week. They are a good 3-5 team and they've lost some close games. They have a veteran quarterback who played very well today. You don't want to lose and it's the reality of getting back up and we have to get back up and ply well. At the end of the day they had 205 yards of total offense and we had 210 yards of total offense. It wasn't a real stellar offensive game when it was all said and done."
 
 
Notes

• DB Darin Peart blocked a William & Mary field goal attempt in the fourth quarter. It is Stony Brook's first blocked field since DL Aaron Thompson blocked an attempt by Maine last season.
• DB Marvin Hart collected a career-high 10 tackles in today's game. His previous high was five tackles made against James Madison in 2014.
• LB Noah McGinty recorded 12 tackles in today's game, marking a career-best. His previous high was eight stops collected at Delaware two weeks ago.
• Stony Brook blocked a punt for the second time this season when DB Synceir Malone got a hand on the first quarter punt. The Seawolves also blocked a punt in the win over North Dakota.
• DB Kye Morgan returned the blocked punt for a touchdown marking the second time he has returned a blocked punt for a score this season and the third of his career.
• Captains for today's game were WR Tim Keith, RB Stacey Bedell, DB Tyrice Beverette, DB Jaheem Woods and DL Aaron Thompson. The five were joined by today's game day captain TE Dennis Lestrange.
• Today's honorary captain was Brock Jackolski, an All-America kick returners/running back for the Seawolves from 2010-11.  

Up Next
Stony Brook will host Maine for Senior Day in the final home game of the 2016 season next Saturday at 2 p.m. at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium. Tickets are available here.