Box Score DUDLEY, Mass.--Kevin Cook returned to the lineup to rush for 104 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns to lead Western New England University to a 44-20 victory Saturday over Nichols College at Vendetti Field in the New England Football Conference Boyd Division opener for both schools. The Golden Bears improve to 3-1 overall while the Homecoming Bison remain winless in four starts.

The Golden Bears outgained the Bison 253-89 in the first half and built a 28-0 halftime lead to never look back. Cook had a 47-yard touchdown run on the second play of the second quarter that gave the visitors a 14-0 lead. Later in the stanza, he capped a nine-play, 57-yard drive with a four-yard TD run with 42 ticks on the clock to close the first half scoring.

Joe Lambert hauled in six receptions for 132 yards and a 63-yard touchdown to lead the Nichols offense, which made things interesting after Western New England increased the advantage to 41-7 late in the third quarter. Thirty-six seconds into the fourth, Dylan Rimsky capped a four-play, 75-yard drive with a 19-yard touchdown reception from Pat Viencek to make it 41-14. Later, the Bison stopped the Golden Bears on fourth down, then drove 71 yards before David Gonzalez's 11-yard touchdown reception from Jacob Shoup cut their deficit to 41-20 (failed two-point conversion). The drive was aided by a pair of 15-yard penalties on Western New England.

But the Golden Bears were never seriously threatened. Walter Lewis, Alex Miller, Andrew Treschitta and Dave Micu all led the defense--which limited Nichols to 39 yards on the ground--with five tackles, and Micu added a blocked punt that Kevin Degnan returned for 11 yards into the end zone to make it 21-0 in the second quarter.

Viencek and Shoup combined for 297 yards and three touchdowns through the air.