BANGOR, Maine – The Husson University football team earned a hard-fought 49-42 Conference of New England victory in overtime over Western New England University at the John W. Winkin Complex on Saturday afternoon.

In a game that saw over 1,000 yards of total offense and over 100 combined points, Western New England (4-4, 1-2 CNE) drew first blood.

After forcing Husson (6-2, 3-0 CNE) to punt on the first drive of the game, the Golden Bears marched 80 yards and wrapped up their touchdown drive Paul Gorry ran a quarterback-keeper in from two yards out to make it 7-0 WNE midway through the first quarter.

The Eagles took advantage of a short kickoff on their next drive, as following a short rush by junior Jed Lober to put Husson in WNE territory, senior Nason Berthelette took a shovel pass from junior Max Clark and made a defender miss on the left side and managed to dart 47 yards to the end zone to knot the game up at seven.

Husson was able to make a stand on the next drive from the Golden Bears, as sophomore Jahmye Tyson posted 1.5 sacks on the drive, forcing WNE to punt.

The Eagles managed to take their first lead of the contest on their next drive with Berthelette doing the honors once again, this time connecting with Clark in the back of the end zone from 18 yards away, putting Husson up 14-7 early on in the second quarter.

WNE brought the game to a tie on its next drive, as Brady Lafferty floated a long, 32-yard touchdown pass to Pat Harrigan, following a 16-yard pass from Lafferty got the Golden Bears into Husson territory.

After a three-and-out from the Eagles on their next drive, WNE used another long pass play to get into the end zone, as Lafferty found De'Andre Harris streaking down the right sideline for a 57-yard touchdown strike to put the Golden Bears up 21-14 with less than eight minutes left in the second quarter.

Junior Caleb Solomon immediately put Husson into enemy territory after a 28-yard pass from Clark set up the Eagles. A fourth down conversion from Clark to senior Ja'Quan Myles set Husson up inside the five-yard line and Lober rumbled in from one yard away to even the game up at 21-all.

The Eagles forced a turnover on downs from WNE on its next drive, but Husson was unable to score on its final drive of the half. The Golden Bears had a final chance in the first half, but senior Walker Lenz picked-off a hail mary attempt from WNE and kept the game tied up at the half.

Both defenses stepped up to begin the second half, forcing punts out of both opposing offenses, while Husson intercepted Lafferty for a second time in three drives, as freshman Branardo Forine ripped the ball away from a WNE receiver a took the ball all the way inside the 25 yard line of the Golden Bears.

Husson cashed in two plays later, as Clark connected with senior Cam Holmes for a 26-yard touchdown pass to once again give the Eagles the lead back.

WNE tied the game right back up on its next drive, as two 16-yard passes got a big chunk on yardage for the Golden Bears, while Ryan Carlson scampered in from three yards out to bring the game to 28-28.

The connection between Clark and Holmes got the Eagles back in front, as Clark eluded two WNE pass rushers and scrambled out to his left, finding a streaking Holmes down the left side line, allowing the senior to waltz in for a 55-yard touchdown.

A sack on the ensuing drive for the Golden Bears forced them into another punt, but a turnover on downs from Husson to start the fourth quarter put the ball back into the hands of WNE.

Lafferty capitalized on his third long touchdown pass of the day to draw even once again, this time hitting Callaghan Daskam from 31 yards away, after a 22-yard run from Carlson set up the Golden Bears in Husson territory.

Berthelette provided the Eagles with great field position to begin their next drive, as he took the ensuing kickoff 64 yards to the WNE 27 yard line, as Clark and Husson pulled ahead five plays later, as he connected with senior Dom Wilson for a 13-yard score with less than 10 minutes left in the final quarter.

After a 33-yard rush from Matt LaMontage and a face mask penalty on the Eagles put the Golden Bears in prime scoring position, Lafferty hit Harris for an 18-yard score to knot the game back up at 42.

WNE forced Husson to punt on its next drive and looked to be setting up a nice drive to wind the clock down and secure the game-winning score, but Lafferty had a fade route intercepted by freshman Brayden Trombly in the end zone to allow the Eagles to take a knee and send the game to overtime.

After WNE elected to play defense first in overtime, a 10-yard rush from Clark on third down set up Lober, who plowed his way up the middle for an 11-yard score to put the pressure on the Golden Bears.

A roughing the passer on Husson put the Golden Bears at first and 10 from the 15 yard line, but the Eagles shut down the WNE offense on four-straight plays, securing the win on an incompletion in the end zone.

Clark finished 21-29 through the air, racking up 319 yards and five touchdown passes, in addition to three rushes for 16 yards.

Berthelette led the Eagles through the air with five catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns, while Holmes also had two scores with three catches for 86 yards.

Senior Ricky Hendrix led Husson with 14 total tackles, while Lenz added 12 stops, including six solo tackles and one tackle for loss, in addition to a pass breakup, an interception and a quarterback hurry.

Trombly finished an electric day with 10 total tackles, one interception and three pass breakups, while seniors DJ Wilson and Isaac Bergeron recorded one sack each, in addition to Tyson posting 1.5 sacks and junior Bryce Bussell tallying 0.5 sacks.

Husson is back in action on Saturday when it travels to No. 11/13 Endicott College in a battle of unbeaten teams in the CNE, with kickoff set for 12 p.m.