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Da'Kendall James
ENP Photography
42
Winner Monmouth MON 1-1 , 1-0
23
Towson TOW 0-2 , 0-1
Winner
Monmouth MON
1-1 , 1-0
42
Final
23
Towson TOW
0-2 , 0-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MON Monmouth 0 14 7 21 42
TOW Towson 10 0 7 6 23

Game Recap: Football | | David Vatz and Dan O'Connell

Towson Football Falls in Home Opener to Monmouth

TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University football team fell in its home debut as Monmouth handed the Tigers a 42-23 loss at Johnny Unitas® Stadium on Saturday night.

Towson (0-2, 0-1 CAA) took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter when Nathan Kent threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Da'Kendall James just two plays after a Makye Smith fumble recovery. A 28-yard field goal by Keegan Vaughn upped the lead to 10-0.

Monmouth (1-1, 1-0 CAA) dominated the second quarter and took a 14-10 lead at halftime. A 66-yard run by Sone Ntoh cut the deficit to 10-7 on the first play of the quarter. Late in the half, the Hawks marched 81 yards in 7:10 to grab a lead. A six-yard touchdown run by Jaden Shirden gave the Hawks the lead.
 
In the second half, Monmouth made it 21-10 when Marquez McCray threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Assanti Kearney. The Tigers pulled to within 21-17 when Devin Matthews scored on a one-yard TD run.  However, the Tigers' comeback effort was thwarted by four fourth quarter turnovers which led to a pair of Monmouth touchdowns.
 
Key Stats:
  • Monmouth had 437 yards of total offense and had the ball for 36:57 of the game while Towson had 275 yards of total offense with a 23:03 time of possession. 
  • Nathan Kent went 16-for-27 at quarterback for 200 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.  His main target was Lukkas Londono, who made six catches for 92 yards while Da'Kendall James made five receptions, tallying 79 yards and a touchdown.
  • On the ground, Devin Matthews had 11 rushes for 46 yards and a touchdown.
  • Xavier Terry led all players with eight tackles while Makye Smith five tackles, a sack and a forced fumble/recovery.
  • For Monmouth, Jaden Shirden rushed the ball 33 times to pick up 145 yards and a touchdown while Sone Ntoh went 76 yards on four carries, scoring three times.  Marquez McCray was 21-for-30 with 237 yards and two touchdowns, each to Assanti Kearney, who had 78 yards receiver on four catches.  On defense, Jake Brown finished with seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.
How it Happened
  • Monmouth started with the ball and rode Jaden Shirden to a pair of rushes for 17 yards to get to its own 46.  At the 44, Makye Smith stripped the quarterback and recovered the ball on the Monmouth 34 to give Towson possession.  Nathan Kent broke out for seven yards on a rush then passed to Da'Kendall James for a 27-yard touchdown, giving Towson the lead 7-0 3:03 into the game.
  • From there, a 46-minute lightning delay halted the game.  Out of the locker room, Monmouth began on its own seven and came down the field with several Shirden rushes and a couple of 14+ yard passes by Marquez McCray.  In Towson territory, Jakari Patterson stopped Shirden for a three-yard loss as Monmouth got a fourth down and eight chance.  Patterson hurried the quarterback and helped force an incompletion for the turnover on downs.
  • Starting on its own 41, a 25-yard pass to James and a 23-yard Devin Matthews burst put Towson in the red zone, but a false start and sack halted the drive.  Keegan Vaughan knocked down the 25-yard field goal attempt to make it 10-0 Towson with 1:38 left in the quarter.
  • Into the second quarter, Monmouth had fourth a one on its own 34.  Sone Ntoh broke through the defense for 66 yards and a touchdown to make it 10-7 Towson in the opening seconds of the second.
  • Each side had a three-and-out, with a Jesus Gibbs 12-yard sack ending Monmouth's drive.  Another Towson three-and-out was followed by Monmouth going down the field with several passes.  As the clock ticked down and three straight TJ Speight completions got the Hawks to the Towson 6, a Shirden direct snap resulted in a touchdown and a 14-10 Monmouth lead with 1:44 left in the second.
  • Towson's three-and-out gave Monmouth another scoring chance.  Towson held Monmouth up on the Tigers' 32, where a 49-yard field goal attempt missed wide right for a 14-10 Hawks advantage at the half.
  • The second half began with Towson possession, but a pass interference call doomed the drive.  Monmouth took over, converting a fourth and three on a pass to Dymere Miller.  Two plays later, McCray found Assanti Kearney deep in the end zone for a 36-yard score and a 21-10 Monmouth lead with 10:44 to go in the third.
  • Towson struck back and Kent threw downfield for a 15-yard pass to James and a 44-yard pass to Lukkas Londono had Towson knocking on the door at the Monmouth 5.  Matthews pounded up the gut for three rushes and a touchdown to pull Towson within four at 21-17 with 8:31 to go in the quarter.
  • After a 13-yard rush by Shirden, Samuel Obiang stopped McCray on third and four for no gain and forced a punt for a touchback.  Towson methodically came down the field, including three completions to Londono, to comedown to the Monmouth 21.  Towson attempted a trick play with Londono throwing towards the end zone but was picked off at the one-yard line.
  • Towson's defense, into the fourth quarter, stopped Monmouth on third and one with an Obiang tackle for a one-yard loss.  But, Towson had a three-and-out, and despite a three-and-out on defense, a muffed punt was recovered by Monmouth on the Towson 40.  Monmouth took advantage, using a face mask penalty and 16-ard touchdown throw to Kearney to lead 28-17 with 9:41 to play.
  • Towson responded again, beginning with a 49-yard kickoff return by D'Ago Hunter into Monmouth territory.  Going forward into the red zone on a face mask penalty, Kent found Daniel Thompson IV in the corner of the end zone for the 12-yard touchdown.  Towson trailed 28-23 with 7:37 to play.
  • The defense forced a three-and-out, but on Towson's next drive, Kent was stripped on a throwing attempt and Monmouth recovered on the Towson 29.  Monmouth scored two plays later to lead 35-23 with 4:42 left. 
  • Towson could not get closer as a three-and-out gave the ball back to Monmouth.  The Hawks scored another touchdown on a Ntoh direct snap rush, and an interception by Kent ended the game.  Monmouth took the victory 42-23.
Inside the Numbers
  • Nathan Kent earned his first career touchdown passes tonight.  He also had a 44-yard pass reception to Lukkas Londono, the longest catch in Londono's career.
  • Makye Smith earned his first forced fumble as a Tiger and seventh of his collegiate career.
  • Devin Matthews has 14 career rushing touchdowns.
  • The game had a lightning delay of 46 minutes after Towson's touchdown drive in the first quarter (6:15-7:01 p.m.)
  • Jaden Shirden was the first player to rush over 30 times in a game vs. Towson since Karl Mofor ran the ball 30 times for UAlbany vs. Towson on Oct. 12, 2019.
  • Despite the defeat, Towson leads the all-time series vs. Monmouth 8-2.
Next Game
  • Next Saturday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m., Towson and Morgan State will play the next chapter of the Battle for Greater Baltimore.  Kick off is set at Hughes Stadium in Baltimore.
- TowsonTigers.com – 
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