DANBURY, CT - Jared Gauthier (Dracut, MA) caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Matt Silva (Dracut, MA) with 5:40 remaining in the third quarter and the visiting Framingham State University football team held on for a 14-12 victory over Western Connecticut State University at The Westside Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon.

Midway through what ultimately turned out to be the game-winning drive, Silva, who completed 14 of 27 passes for 150 yards, was on the Rams' sideline while Mike Luks (Manchester, NH) came on to move FSU from its own 45 yard line down to the Colonials' 16.  A 14-yard run, a 12-yard completiong to Travis Hayes (Framingham, MA) and another two-yard gain by the 6-3, 215-pound signal caller set up Silva's pass to Gauthier.

Gauthier led all receivers with seven catches for 71 yards.

Western, 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), took an early lead when Mike Killoran (West Hartford, CT) booted a 33-yard field goal to cap off a seven-play, 65-yard drive with 9:31 remaining in the first quarter.

The Rams took a 7-6 lead with 11 seconds remaining in the first stanza when Milikke Van Alstyne (Salem, MA) scampered in from five yards out and Sean Wlasuk (Peabody, MA) convertted the extra point.  Van Alstyne led all rushers with 105 yards on 28 carries.

With 1:47 elapsed in the second quarter, Killoran brought the Colonials within one point, 7-6, with his second 33-yard field goal of the afternoon.

Western, a newly affiliated member in the MASCAC this fall, closed the game to 14-12 when junior quarterback Will Arndt (Sandy Hook, CT) hooked up with Alex Altermatt (Branford, CT) from four yards out.  

With 3:30 remaining in the game, the Colonials were forced to attempt a two-point conversion, but Arndt's pass was just out of Altermatt's reach in the far right corner of the endzone.

Framingham State was able to run the clock out following crutial 11-yard and two-yard gains, from Van Alstyne in his team's last offensive series.

Arndt completed 10 of 21 passes for 125 yards, was intercepted once and dropped for four sack as the Rams' defense virtually closed all passing lanes in the second half.

Octavias McKoy (Stratford, CT) led the Western ground attack with 19 carries for 91 yards.  Arndt followed with 66 net yards on 11 carries.

Defensively, Devin Myers (Waterbury, CT) and Mike Lacaria (Watertown, CT) had 12 and 11 tackles, respectively for the Colonials.  Tom Lacey (Wood-Ridge, NJ) finished with eight tackles and had a 33-yard interception return.

Patrick McGrath (Everett, MA) led the winners with eight tackles while Matthew Mangano (Winchester, MA) had five tackles, an interception and two pass break ups.

Junior punter Ryan Falaguerra (Milford, CT) averaged 43.7 yards on six punts with three of those kicks settling inside the 20 yard line including one at the two and another on the Rams' five yard line.

Western hits the road next Saturday, October 5, to take on Bridgewater State University.  Kick off is slated for 1 pm.  Framingham State plays host to UMass Dartmouth next Saturday at 1 pm