WORCESTER, Mass. (Sept. 27, 2014) - Though it led by two touchdowns early, the LIU Post football team battled back from 13 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat Northeast-10 Conference opponent Assumption, 28-27, on Saturday at Multi-Sport Stadium.

After senior punter Tyler Feely (Plant City, Fla.) pinned the opposition inside their own 10-yard line, the Pioneer defense forced a quick three-and-out on the Greyhounds' (1-3, 1-2 NE-10) opening drive to set the offense up with great field position on its second series. Starting at the Assumption 37, red-shirt senior quarterback Steven Laurino (Boise, Idaho) staged a quick five-play, two-minute possession that led to the game's first touchdown.

Two snaps in, Laurino picked up a 17-yard gain on a completion to red-shirt senior wideout Kamron Palmer (Brooklyn, N.Y.) to move the chains. The signal-caller then took it upon himself to get the green and gold into the end zone. Three straight keepers, coupled with a five-yard face mask penalty by the hosts, culminated in a five-yard rush by Laurino for the score.

One LIU Post (2-2, 2-1 NE-10) drive later, Laurino ran another two-minute drive to double the green and gold's lead (14-0). He started the series with a 12-yard rush into plus-territory, and followed that with a 25-yard completion to red-shirt sophomore wideout Shane Hubbard (St. Albans, N.Y.), which gave the Pioneers a first-and-10 inside the red zone. The possession was soon capped by a five-yard touchdown run from Laurino, his second of the afternoon.

Assumption would cut the deficit in half, and trail 14-7 at the break. The Greyhounds capitalized on a missed 40-yard field goal try from Karsten Viste (Randaberg, Norway) by turning it into seven points. A 12-yard hook-up from Trevor Vasey (Cumberland, R.I.) to Ashton Grant (Manchester, Conn.) made it a one-score contest.

During the second half, the hosts quickly evened the score. On his first series of the third quarter, Vasey, who anchored an eight-play, 71-yard drive, ran the ball in from 14 yards out to tie the game at 14-all. 

Shortly thereafter, LIU Post's inability to take advantage of two Assumption turnovers, along with another failed field-goal attempt by Viste, put the Greyhounds in front. On third-and-10 from his own 27-yard line, Vasey found Eddy Frazier (Worcester, Mass.) down the field for a 46-yard pick-up to the LIU 27. Four snaps following that gain, Vasey and Grant connected again, this time for seven yards for the TD.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the hosts widened their lead to 27-14. A one-yard push across the goal line by Matt Heriveaux (Everett, Mass.) accounted for the score. But, the turning point of the contest subsequently followed. Junior defensive back Jhaleel Oswald (Rosedale, N.Y.) blocked the point-after attempt.

That said, the Pioneers weren't done just yet. LIU Post closed the gap to a one-possession game with 9:54 to go on a 48-yard bomb from Laurino to Palmer. The BoIse native completed three passes of 10 or more yards in the drive, one of which was a 22-yard strike to red-shirt freshman wideout James Higgins (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) on a second-and-21 after he was sacked for an 11-yard loss a play prior.

Oswald's blocked PAT, when the scoreline read 27-14, eventually proved costly for Assumption as the green and gold pulled in front 28-27 on their next drive. Laurino led a downfield passing assault of 64 yards, en route to the touchdown. The series was rounded out by a 19-yard completion to Hubbard for his third TD reception of 2014.

As the time continued to wind down in regulation, the Pioneer defense came up with a big stop in their own territory to force a Greyhound punt. On a third-and-six, the duo of Manny Dopazo (Huntington Station, N.Y.) and David Sumter (Hollis, N.Y.) sacked Vasey at the LIU 40 to bring up fourth down. 

The Assumption punt had Laurino and the offense starting their next series inside the 10-yard line. Yet, the ground game turned in a pivotal showing in a time of need. Laurino first completed a 12-yard pass to Palmer to move the sticks, before he and red-shirt sophomore tailback Mike Williams (Westbury, N.Y.) carried the ball for two key first downs that sealed the victory for the visitors.

Laurino was 28-of-41 passing in the game for 321 yards and two touchdowns. He scampered for 39 yards and a pair of scores as well. Palmer made seven catches for a game-high 117 yards and a touchdown, while Hubbard hauled in eight balls for 96 yards and a TD. Higgins, junior tight end Sean Binckes (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and red-shirt freshman wide receiver Kyle Ward (Elizabeth, N.J.) turned in multi-catch performances as well.

Defensively, Dopazo recorded a game-best 10 tackles (three TFL). Red-shirt senior linebacker Anthony Brunetti (Bayville, N.Y.) had nine tackles and an interception. Sumter (1.5 sacks) and red-shirt freshman defensive lineman Jess Agbotse (Hackensack, N.J.) collected six tackles apiece.

Head Coach Bryan Collins and the Pioneers are back in action next Saturday (Oct. 4), when they round out their three-game road trip in Ossining, N.Y. at Pace. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.