Kean Snaps Three-Game Losing Streak With Win Over Southern Virginia

(Photo by Double G Media)

The Kean University football team needed a win in the worst way this week.

They accomplished their goal in impressive fashion last Saturday.

Junior quarterback Tyler Rodriguez completed 13 of 24 passes for 126 yards with two touchdowns and junior running back Brian Matthews had 21 carries for 119 yards with a TD to propel Kean to a 32-3 home and New Jersey Athletic Conference victory over Southern Virginia at Alumni Stadium in Union, New Jersey.

Kean’s defense allowed just three points in a game for the first time since 2011.

Kean (4-4, 3-4 NJAC) saw its three-game losing streak snapped and completed a 1-4 October. Southern Virginia fell to 2-6, 1-6 in NJAC play.

Rodriguez threw an 11-yard TD pass to sophomore wide receiver Ben Guarino in the first quarter and had a 7-yard TD toss to sophomore tight end Kyle Rooney in the second quarter. Sophomore defensive back Samir Venable tacked on an 89-yard kickoff return for a score with 4:56 remaining in the second quarter to power Kean to a 24-3 halftime lead.

Junior kicker Aryeh Moslavi kicked a 29-yard field goal to give Kean a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and Matthews, who had his fourth 100-plus yard game on the ground this season, had a 7-yard TD run in the third quarter to complete Kean’s scoring.

Defensively, senior defensive back David Coleman, Jr. blocked a punt in the third quarter to give Kean a safety and senior linebacker Robert Meade III and junior linebacker Darin Hungerford each had a team-leading 11 tackles.

Meade had two sacks and a forced fumble and junior defensive lineman Marquis Oliver had 1 ½ sacks, a forced fumble, plus 3 ½ tackles for loss. The Cougars had 13 tackles for a total loss of 56 yards.

Kean travels to rival Rowan University (5-3, 4-3 NJAC) on Saturday with a scheduled kickoff set for 1 p.m.

Rowan fell to Frostburg State on the road, 24-14, last Saturday in Frostburg, Maryland.