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Hofstra University Athletics

Cory Christopher vs. UMass 1

CAREER-BEST EFFORTS BY CHRISTOPHER AND WEAVER LEAD HOFSTRA PAST UMASS

11/21/2009 9:00:00 PM

Hempstead, NY-  Senior quarterback Cory Christopher capped his Hofstra career by passing for a career-high 484 yards and three touchdowns and junior receiver Aaron Weaver set career-highs with 15 receptions for 191 yards to lead Hofstra to a 52-38 CAA victory over Massachusetts in the regular season finale at James M. Shuart Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Hofstra finished the campaign 5-6 and 3-5 in the CAA while UMass dropped to 5-6 and 3-5. The Pride compiled 599 yards of total offense in exceeding the 50-point mark for the first time since a 55-0 win over Stony Brook in the 2005 home opener.

Weaver (Freeport, NY), who missed the previous week with a leg injury, broke his previous career high of nine catches and 132 yards, which came against Richmond in 2008. Sophomore Christian Dennis (Ponte Vedra, FL) contributed five receptions, two touchdown catches and a career-high 78 receiving yards while sophomore quarterback Steve Probst (North Massapequa, NY) came off the bench to throw one touchdown and rush for another. Freshman Miguel Maysonet (Riverhead, NY) scored Hofstra's final touchdown.

Christopher (Miami, FL)  also rushed for a score to cap his four-touchdown afternoon in registering his first career 400-yard passing game, eclipsing his previous high of 321 yards set earlier this season in a win against Bryant. Christopher, who completed 38 of 50 passes, completed at least one pass to nine different receivers and racked up the highest Hofstra passing total since Bobby Seck threw for 560 yards against Rhode Island in 2004. Christopher finished his career with 3,251 passing yards in two seasons, vaulting him into eighth place on Hofstra's all-time list.

Leslie Jackman (Freeport, NY), one of 14 Hofstra graduating seniors to be honored on Senior Day, logged a team-high nine tackles and a forced fumble to lead the Pride defense.  Fellow senior Ray McDonough (Los Angelis, CA) added seven tackles and junior Garrett Heron (South Orange, NJ) picked off UMass quarterback Scott Woodward for the game's only interception. Senior linebacker and co-captain Luke Bonus (Medford Lakes, NJ) ended his college career with seven tackles.

Weaver finished once reception short of tying Devale Ellis' record for most receptions in a game, which was set against UMass in 2004. Junior wideout Anthony Nelson added a third-quarter touchdown catch as part of a five-reception, 71-yard day.

Tony Nelson kept the Minutemen in the game, rushing for three touchdowns and 103 yards on 16 carries while Woodward finished with 277 yards on 19-30 passing. Senior Victor Cruz hauled in 11 passes for 155 yards. Senior linebacker Eric Dickson posted a game-high 14 tackles for the Minutemen.

Christopher helped Hofstra forged a 28-10 halftime lead by throwing for 293 yards on 26-33 passing through the opening 30 minutes. Christopher passed for a touchdown on the first drive and rushed for another score on the last drive of the half as the Pride produced 353 yards of total offense heading into intermission.

Christopher started his last collegiate game in impressive fashion, engineering a game-opening 11-play, 79-yard touchdown drive capped by a five-yard strike to Weaver in the middle of the end zone for a 7-0 lead just 4:04 into the game.

The Minutemen tied the contest just 3:30 later after Tony Nelson rushed through the left side for a 7-yard touchdown. Nelson's end-rush with 7:29 left in the opening quarter capped a seven-play, 47-yard drive highlighted by Woodward's 30-yard passing strike to Emil Igwenagu.

UMass recorded the game's first defensive stop and then capitalized on offense. The Minutemen marched 65 yards before Hofstra made a key stop on third-and-two, forcing UMass to settle for Armando Cuko's 40-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead with 13:42 left in the first half. Cuko's kick marked his 31st career field goal, breaking the previous school record set by Silvio Bonvini, who played from 1985-88.

Probst added a new wrinkle to the Hofstra passing attack and provided a change-of-pace to the surging Christopher in the second quarter. Probst faked a draw and sprinted up the middle for a 7-yard touchdown off the quarterback keeper, putting Hofstra ahead, 14-10, with 7:10 left. Probst's second rushing touchdown of the season was the finale of a 13-play, 90-yard drive that took 6:22 off the clock. Weaver, who finished with 10 receptions and 100 yards in the first half, caught two passes for 29 yards to extend the scoring drive.

Hofstra built off the offensive momentum, recording its first defensive stop when Tressor Baptiste sacked Woodward on third-down. Baptise's third sack of the season helped the Pride gain good field position and Maysonet put Hofstra into the red zone one-play later, picking up 47-yards on a shovel pass down the Hofstra sideline. Probst hit Christian Dennis for a 16-yard touchdown along the fair sideline one play later to build a 21-10 lead with 5:55 remaining.

Christopher parlayed another Hofstra defensive stop into points when he executed a 11-play, 85-yard drive in the two-minute offense, a facemask penalty on third down gave Hofstra a fresh set of downs at the UMass 2-yard line and Christopher responded with a rushing touchdown off the quarterback keeper for a 28-10 lead with 19 seconds left.

Hofstra didn't lose momentum coming out of the lockeroom, marching 31 yards on five plays 54 seconds into the second half to set up Henry Greco's 36-yard field goal that gave the Pride their largest lead at 31-10.

The two schools then exchanged touchdowns, with Tony Nelson ending an 11-play drive with his second rushing touchdown of the contest from eight-yards out with 7:55 left. Almost two minutes later, Hofstra's Anthony Nelson took Christopher's quick-hit route up the middle for a 35-yard touchdown to extend the Pride lead to 38-17.

UMass continued to chip away at the lead, scoring 14 straight points thanks to Chris Zardas 1-yard touchdown run with 4:33 left in the third quarter. Woodward then brought the Minutemen back within one possession on the next drive. Nelson broke free for a 50-yard rush and Woodward capped the 92-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run to make it 38-31 just six seconds into the final quarter.

But Christopher prevented the momentum swing, leading the Pride 75 yards downfield. Dennis put Hofstra ahead with an acrobatic catch, keeping one foot in bounds for a 15-yard touchdown catch and a 45-31 lead with 12:33 left.

Nelson provided UMass' last salvo, running for his third touchdown to end a stretch of 28 second-half points for the Minutemen. But Maysonet provided the insurance touchdown with 1:41 left, powering through the line for a 10-yard touchdown run for the final margin.

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