NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., October 14, 2017 – The No. 15 Monroe College football team lost for the first time in 2017 on Saturday, falling to No. 19 Lackawanna College by a score of 19-0 in Northeast Football Conference action at Joseph F. Fosina Field. The Mustangs drop to 6-1 on the season with the loss, while the Falcons improve to 5-1.
 
Lackawanna kick returner Juwan Green returned the opening kickoff 91 yards to the Monroe seven-yard line, immediately putting the Falcons in position to score. The Mustang defense backed up the special teams, forcing the Falcons to lose 16 yards on three plays, including 15 yards on a sack by Richard Butler, but Lackawanna managed to make a 41-yard field goal to take an early 3-0 lead.
 
The Falcons got the ball back later in the quarter on an interception by London Cloud, who returned it 49 yard to the Mustangs' 14-yard line. The defense stepped up again, allowing just four yards and holding the Falcons to a field goal. Isaiah Howard was good from 27 yards out this time, putting the visitors up, 6-0.
 
Lackawanna once again got the ball back with 2:01 left in the first. Facing third-and-11, quarterback Michael Dare escaped pressure, and threw deep on the run to Navon Prince, who beat the defender and took the ball the rest of the way for an 85-yard catch-and-run touchdown, pushing the Falcons' lead to 12-0 before the end of the first.
 
The 12-0 score held all the way into the fourth quarter until the Falcons strung together a nine-play, 66-yard drive, capping off with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Dare to Green, making it a 19-0 lead for the Falcons with just 5:28 on the clock.
 
Makiya Caesar rushed 14 times for 65 yards in the game, while Jalen Brown took it himself 11 times for another 58 yards. Imhotep Cromer caught three passes for 31 yards, while Nyjaliek Williams made a pair of receptions for 20 yards.
 
Butler had a strong game for the Mustangs, making four tackles, all behind the line of scrimmage, including a pair of sacks. Lloyd Jackson made three tackles, including one for loss, and also blocked a field goal. Clayton Glasco and Leoandro DeBrito matched with six tackles apiece. Dejohn Rogers added five tackles and a sack.
 
The Mustangs will look to rebound on Saturday, Oct. 21, when they visit Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, N.Y. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's rugby, and the newly added club women's rugby team, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, will have six teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level beginning in the fall of 2017.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs), and follow Mustang football on Twitter (@MJCMustangs).