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University of Rochester Athletics

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER YELLOWJACKETS
822
10
Rochester UR 3-4 , 2-2
34
Winner WPI WPI 4-3 , 1-3
Rochester UR
3-4 , 2-2
10
Final
34
WPI WPI
4-3 , 1-3
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UR Rochester 10 0 0 0 10
WPI WPI 0 14 14 6 34

Game Recap: Football |

Gridders Toppled at WPI, 34-10

The Yellowjacket football team saw its two-game win streak snapped when WPI posted a 34-10 victory in Worcester, MA on Saturday afternoon.

Rochester is 2-2 in the Liberty League, 3-4 overall. WPI gained its first Liberty League win of the season (1-3). The Engineers are 4-3 overall.

Aaron Molisani scored on a 10-yard run with 8:25 left in the first quarter. That capped a 12-play, 63-yard drive. Holder J.J. Vanderstyne ran in for a two-point conversion with the snap, giving the Yellowjackets an 8-0 lead.

Later in the half, the ball was snapped over the head of WPI punter Jeremy Griffin as he tried to punt from his own 35. It rolled into the end zone where Griffin fell on it and the Yellowjackets covered him for a safety.

On the final play of the first quarter, Benjy Waller sacked WPI quarterback Ryan Jeannette for an 11-yard loss. Jeanette was forced to leave the game. He was replaced by freshman Rob Pantalone.

On his first full series of the second period, Pantalone directed a nine-play, 63-yard drive to put the Engineers on the board. He completed an 18-yard pass to Preston Roberts on 3rd-and-13 from his own 34, threw a 14-yarder to Matt Guigli, then ran the option himself for 27 yards, getting down to the seven. The Yellowjacket defense stiffened - stopping a pass attempt to Roberts, catching Pantalone at the line for no gain, and stopping Billy Orfalea at the one when safety Pat Manuel came up with a big hit.

The Engineers gambled on fourth-and-goal from the one. It paid off when Pantalone was able to slip just over right guard for a TD, pulling WPI within 10-7.

Battling a strong wind, the Yellowjackets had to punt on their next two possessions. The second kick was returned 57 yards by Brian Farragher to the UR 13. On second down, Jeannette threw a 13-yard scoring pass to Matt Burger, putting the Engineers ahead, 14-10.

Orfalea (2 yds.) and Jeannette (7 yds.) ran for TDs on WPI's first two possessions of the second half to build a bigger lead. Roberts burst 54 yards for a TD with 4:18 left to put it out of reach.

Rochester totaled 304 yards in offense (181 rushing, 123 passing). WPI had 326 - 229 on the ground, 97 in the air. Pat O'Brien led the Yellowjackets with 71 yards on 16 carries. Molisani had 19 carries for a net of 66 yards. He was sacked four times for 21 yards in losses.