NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Nov. 1, 2014) - On Saturday, the LIU Post football team rolled to a 28-3 win versus Northeast-10 Conference opponent Southern Connecticut State at Jess Dow Field.

With the victory, LIU Post (6-3, 6-2 NE-10) is now one win away from clinching a spot in the NE-10 Championship Game on Nov. 15. American International has already secured the league's top billing, following a 24-21 triumph against Merrimack earlier in the day.

Trailing by a field goal (3-0) late in the first quarter, the Pioneers took their first lead of the game with a touchdown at the 2:47 mark. After sophomore running back David White (Bronx, N.Y.) was stuffed for a five-yard loss on the opening play of the series, red-shirt senior quarterback Steven Laurino (Boise, Idaho) completed back-to-back 10-yard passes to Kyle Ward (Elizabeth, N.J.) and James Higgins (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) for a key first down. The drive eventually culminated in a 22-yard keeper by Laurino for the score.

One LIU Post possession later, the Pioneers were prepared to punt from the Southern Connecticut (2-7, 2-6 NE-10) 41-yard line. Yet, on a fourth-and-three, senior punter Tyler Feely (Plant City, Fla.) took the ball forward for a 13-yard gain to move the chains. One snap later, Laurino hooked up with red-shirt senior wide receiver Kamron Palmer (Brooklyn, N.Y.) on a 28-yard strike into the end zone to extend the green and gold's advantage to 14-3.

The visitors weren't done there. LIU Post's next drive resulted in seven points as well. Using their ground attack, red-shirt freshman running back Michael Million (Montclair, N.J.) and White carried the ball for a 17- and 11-yard gain, respectively, to move the Pioneers into plus-territory. The Owls then took their second timeout of the contest, before Laurino tossed a jump ball to the end zone that was hauled in by red-shirt sophomore wideout Shane Hubbard (St. Albans, N.Y.) to make it a 21-3 game.

LIU Post would eventually bring that 18-point cushion into halftime. At the break, Laurino had already completed 11-of-17 for 132 yards and a pair of TD's, while scampering for 40 net yards and a score.

In the second half, the Pioneers built on an already commanding lead. A 10-play, 82-yard drive resulted in a nine-yard touchdown pass from Laurino to Palmer, which widened the visitors' cushion to 28-3 with 3:03 remaining in the third quarter.

That touchdown would cap the green and gold's scoring for the afternoon. Laurino finished the game 21-for-36 passing for 281 yards and three touchdowns. White carried the ball 18 times for 91 yards. Palmer hauled in six balls for 76 yards and two TD's. Hubbard had four catches for 71 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, red-shirt senior linebacker Anthony Brunetti (Bayville, N.Y.) and red-shirt sophomore defensive back Justin Ortiz (Staten Island, N.Y.) made six tackles apiece. Red-shirt junior linebacker Brandon Cheney (Hewlett, N.Y.) totaled five tackles. Ortiz and Cheney each added a sack as well. As a team, LIU Post recorded five sacks and two takeaways in the win.

Head Coach Bryan Collins and the Pioneers wrap up the 2014 regular season next Saturday (Nov. 8), when they host Bentley at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.