.png&type=webp)
University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
1-5 , 0-2
Kent State
3-4 , 2-1
UMass Football Drops Defensive Battle With Kent State
October 17, 2015 | Football
Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) 
| Notes | Quotes | Photo Gallery 
AMHERST, Mass. - The University of Massachusetts football program and Kent State exchanged defensive stops throughout 2015 Homecoming as the Golden Flashes came away from McGuirk Stadium with a 15-10 victory over the Minutemen.
Tajae Sharpe reset the program record for career receiving yards during the loss. Sharpe entered needing 34 yards to pass Adrian Zullo (2,982) and capped the afternoon with 46 over seven receptions. Blake Frohnapfel finished 17-of-31 passing with 171 yards and one interception. He reached 5,000 career yards during play and became only the fourth Minuteman to do so in the process, joined by Liam Coen (11,031; 2004-08), Todd Bankhead (7,018; 1998-99) and Dave Palazzi (5,461; 1985-88).
Rodney Mills led all Minutemen with 96 yards receiving, including a 62-yard catch-and-run that went as the longest grab on the season for UMass. Marquis Young totaled a team-best 68 rushing yards on nine carries (7.6 per attempt). Jamal Wilson recorded the lone Maroon and White touchdown.
Jovan Santos-Knox led the defensive effort with 17 tackles, a season high which included a combined sack and an assisted TFL. Shane Huber added 10 stops for his second consecutive game in double-digits while Joe Colton pulled down one interception and assisted on a TFL among eight takedowns.
Logan Laurent supported the special teams unit with seven punts covering 332 yards, an average of 47.4 yards per attempt.
After a scoreless first quarter, Wilson plowed five yards through the Kent State defense only 47 seconds into the second frame for the first points of the day. His touchdown run capped an 11-play, 80-yard UMass drive that took three minutes, 51 seconds to complete.
The sides traded field goals during the middle portion of the quarter as Shane Hynes split the uprights from 22 yards away for Kent State with 10:04 to go before Laurent hit a 28-yarder at the 7:31 mark that bumped the UMass lead to 10-3.
Charles Chandler brought the game back to even with a one-yard touchdown pass from Kent State quarterback George Bollas just more than four minutes later. Bollas finished 20-of-25 for 135 yards with the touchdown offset by one interception while the grab went as Chandler's only reception of the contest. Bollas also had 79 yards rushing over 15 attempts while Raekwon James led the Golden Flashes' run game with 85 yards on 20 attempts.
Kent State used its special teams and defense to turn the tie game into the slim victory for the visitors. Hynes connected on a 39-yard field goal attempt for the only points of the third quarter before the defense forced Frohnapfel out of the back of the endzone for a safety in the fourth.
The Minutemen play their next contest against Toledo at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. The game serves as 2015 Band Day as well as the Breast Cancer Awareness game. Ticket information is available at UMassAthletics.com/tickets and 866-UMASS-TIX.
Team Stats
KENT 0, UMASS 7
UMASS - Wilson, J. 5 yd run (Laurent, L. kick), 11 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:51
KENT 3, UMASS 7
KENT - HYNES, Shane 22 yd field goal 10 plays, 60 yards, TOP 4:09
KENT 3, UMASS 10
UMASS - Laurent, L. 28 yd field goal 8 plays, 67 yards, TOP 2:33
KENT 10, UMASS 10
KENT - CHANDLER, C. 1 yd pass from BOLLAS, George (HYNES, Shane kick) 8 plays, 65 yards, TOP 4:17
KENT 13, UMASS 10
KENT - HYNES, Shane 39 yd field goal 12 plays, 44 yards, TOP 5:46
KENT 15, UMASS 10
KENT - TEAM 3 yd safety
