GREENSBORO, NC- Tony Muskett threw for two touchdowns and ran for another pair of scores as Monmouth (5-3, 4-0 Big South) defeated North Carolina A&T (3-5, 2-3) 35-16 to stay unbeaten in Big South action.
The defense did not allow a second-half point as Monmouth pulled away, handing NC A&T its first homecoming loss since the 2010 season.
The win gives Monmouth its ninth consecutive road conference game which set a new Big South record. The Hawks also set a new Big South record by scoring 30+ points in 14 consecutive conference wins.
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Joey Aldarelli scored his fifth touchdown of the season on a bubble screen to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead with 8:37 left in the first quarter. Muskett threw his second touchdown of the game when Lonnie Moore IV went up and hauled in a 29-yard one-handed pass to put Monmouth ahead 14-0 and cap an eight-play, 81-yard drive.
The Aggies got on the board with a quick strike, going 75 yards on five plays sparked by a 27-yard Jah-Maine Martin run. Martin finished the drive himself with a three-yard run to cut the MU advantage to 14-7 with 14:54 left in the second quarter. Jaden Shirden scored on a three-yard scamper on Monmouth’s longest drive of the first half to push the lead to 21-7. NC A&T scored nine straight points, first on a safety on an errant snap and then drove 56 yards on seven plays to find paydirt to reenergize the crowd and send the Hawks into the halftime leading 21-16.
Muskett engineered a 15-play, 87-yard drive in the third quarter that ended in a one-yard touchdown by the sophomore quarterback to put the Hawks up 28-16. With A&T driving late in the third quarter senior Justin Terry came up with his second interception in as many weeks setting up the Hawks at their own 19. Muskett finished the scoring on another long drive by the Hawks and Monmouth walked away winning 35-16.
Courtesy: Monmouth Athletics
