Staten Island, N.Y. – The Wagner Seahawks, contrary to their natural proclivity for flight, used the ground game to grind out a 27-7 victory over Robert Morris University in a Northeast Conference football contest at Hameline Field in Staten Island, N.Y., Saturday afternoon. The Colonials slip to 2-7 overall and remain winless at 0-4 in the NEC. Wagner improves to 3-6 and 1-4 in league games.
 
Wagner carried for 174 yards behind the sixth leading rusher in the nation, Ryan Fulse. Fulse carried 22 times for 152 yards and a touchdown. Denzel Knight added 55 yards as the Seahawks totaled 281 yards of offense.
 
Colonials quarterback Matt Barr went 16-33 for 161 yards, a touchdown, an interception and was sacked eight times. He found Tim Vecchio four times for 51 yards, including a highlight reel 28-yard pitch and catch in the third quarter. Brandon Magee had two catches for 42 yards while Harrison Dreher rushed seven times for 59 yards.
 
Fulse, the leading rusher in the NEC, quickly added to his season total scampering 65 yards to paydirt on the Seahawks third offensive play of the game to give the host Seahawks a 7-0 just five minutes after the opening kickoff. The Seahawks forced a fumble and recovered deep in RMU territory that led to a 36-yard field goal by James Cooper. After a three-and-out by RMU, D'Erren Wilson returned a punt 31 yards to the Colonials 28-yard line. Cooper made it count five plays later with a 39-yard field goal that gave the Seahawks a 13-0 lead with 1:19 left in the first quarter.
 
Late in the second quarter, Wagner took advantage of another RMU turnover when Malik Warner picked off a Barr pass at the Colonials 32-yard line. After a 15-yard penalty, Luke Massei found John Williams streaking down the right sideline for a 47-yard touchdown to push the margin to 20-0 at the half.
 
The Seahawks took to the ground in the second half. Wagner handed off the Fulse six times for 40 yards, then used a play-action pass to from Luke Massei to Chris Woodard from 23-yards out to push their lead to 27-0.
 
The Colonials finally got on the board midway through the fourth quarter. Barr connected on a 16-yard pass to Warren Robinson, then lofted a 37-yard bomb to Brandon Magee who made a diving catch at the two-yard line. Two plays later, Barr faked a handoff to Cole Blake before finding freshman tight end Dalton Elliott open in the endzone. The 5-play, 62-yard drive cut the Wagner lead to 27-7.
 
Robert Morris plays its final home game of the 2017 campaign next Saturday, Nov. 11, when they welcome Bryant to Joe Walton Stadium for a Noon kickoff.