BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Sept. 13, 2014) - Trailing 33-31 with just over 10 seconds left in the game, red-shirt senior quarterback Steven Laurino (Boise, Idaho) dove for a one-yard touchdown Saturday to lift the LIU Post football team past New Haven, 38-33, at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium.

In that game-winning possession, Laurino converted a 4th-and-5 from the 50-yard line to junior tight end Sean Binckes (Brooklyn, N.Y.) for an 18-yard hook-up, which kept the drive alive. Five plays later, Laurino extended the ball over the goal line from the one-yard line for the TD.

Backtracking to the first quarter, the Pioneers (1-1, 1-0 NE-10) trailed 7-0 after the Chargers (0-2, 0-1 NE-10) went 99 yards on their opening series to take the early lead. But, on the next LIU Post possession, Laurino anchored a 13-play, 66-yard drive that resulted in a game-tying two-yard keeper into the end zone for the Boise native. Not long before he scored, Laurino became the program's all-time passing yards leader with a 12-yard strike to Kamron Palmer (Brooklyn, N.Y.), surpassing former record-holder Rob Blount (2002-05; 6,361 yards).

The green and gold would hold a three-point edge (10-7) at the end of the opening 15-minute session, as Karsten Viste (Randaberg, Norway) drilled a 36-yarder through the uprights in the final ticks.

During the second quarter, an Anthony Brunetti (Bayville, N.Y.) interception on the first UNH series led to seven points in the other direction. Laurino connected with Palmer on a 20-yard pass to extend the LIU Post advantage to 17-7.

New Haven fired back though, scoring 20 unanswered points to go back in front 27-17. However, LIU Post closed the gap to three at the 1:17 mark of the third quarter, when Laurino carried the ball for a 10-yard touchdown. That made it a 27-24 game.

In the final quarter, the Chargers led 30-24, and had a golden opportunity to go up by two possessions. A 26-yard field-goal try by Anthony Greenfield (Bloomfield, N.J.) hit off the left post to keep it a one-score game. The Pioneers then capitalized on the miss. Starting at their own 20-yard line, Laurino connected with his first three receivers in succession to get LIU Post into plus-territory. Shortly thereafter, Laurino found Shane Hubbard (St. Albans, N.Y.) on a 20-yard touchdown pass, giving the hosts a slight 31-30 edge.

UNH answered with a key field goal of its own at the 1:46 mark to re-claim the lead (33-31), which set the stage for the late-game heroics. In holding the Chargers to three points on the scoreboard, the LIU Post defense kept the opposition out of the end zone on three straight plays from inside the 10.

Laurino was 32-of-50 for 296 yards passing and two touchdowns in the win. He also scampered for 31 yards and three scores. Hubbard and Palmer each had a touchdown reception, while amassing 90 and 67 yards, respectively. 

On defense, junior Jhaleel Oswald (Rosedale, N.Y.) recorded a game-high 12 tackles. Brunetti, in addition to the INT, senior Roger Hamilton (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and sophomore Ryan Renfroe (Oakdale, N.Y.) made eight tackles apiece.

Head Coach Bryan Collins and the Pioneers now begin a three-game road trip. They will square off with NE-10 foe Merrimack next Saturday (Sept. 20) at 1 p.m. in North Andover, Mass.