Matt Bielecki and David Ferris scored two touchdowns apiece to lead the University of Rochester to a 37-6 victory over the visiting U.S. Coast Guard Academy at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
Bielecki scored on a one-yard run, then turned a screen pass into a 33-yard TD, both in the second period. Ferris caught touchdown passes of 10 yards and 44 yards from Aaron Molisani. Rob Corey kicked three field goals, hitting from 36, 30, and 24 yards.
Lance Lynch scored the Coast Guard touchdown on an eight-yard run with 9:38 left in the fourth quarter. The extra point was tipped away by Rochester's John Jackson.
The Yellowjackets evened their overall record at 4-4. Rochester is 3-2 in the Liberty League. Coast Guard is 2-5 overall, 0-5 in the League. The Bears are withdrawing from the Liberty League after this season. They are 0-12 over two seasons in league play with two games remaining.
Rochester scored on six consecutive first half possessions – three field goals and three touchdowns – to build a 30-0 lead by halftime. Corey kicked field goals of 36 and 30 yards in the first period. Bielecki rushed one yard for a TD to start the second period. It came three plays after Carmine Casale intercepted David Garden's pass and returned it 35 yards to the CG 8.
The Yellowjackets capitalized on another turnover when Lynch's fumble was recovered by Jordan Kirkling near midfield. Molisani drove Rochester 54 yards in six plays. He passed to Ferris in the left corner of the end zone for a 20-0 lead with 11:09 left before halftime.
Running backs Pat O'Brien and Bielecki did most of the work on the next scoring drive. O'Brien rushed five times for 34 yards. Bielecki rushed once for seven, then caught a screen in the left flat and dodged tacklers for a 33-yard TD and a 27-0 lead.
Corey's third field goal of the game was set up by an 18-yard punt return by Michael Dermody. Rochester drove from midfield to the seven. Dermody nearly set up another score at the end of the half. He picked off Garden again and returned it 34 yards to the CG 28 with four seconds left. Corey's 46 yard field goal attempt was short.
Coast Guard put together its first sustained drive to start the second half. The Bears marched smartly down the field and looked like they would score, but the drive stalled deep in Rochester territory. At first-and-10 from the 12, Lynch gained one yard. Garden threw incomplete, then hit Christian George on a seven-yard crossing pattern. On fourth-and-2, Lynch was stopped for a one-yard loss by Matt Simon.
Later in the period, the Yellowjackets overcame two penalties and a Molisani sack to score their final TD. Bielecki burst up the middle for a 46-yard gain on 2nd-and-22 from the Rochester nine. A line-plunge gained one yard. Then Molisani moved away from pressure and threw a 44-yard scoring strike to Ferris behind the Coast Guard defense.
The Bears broke through after a Rochester turnover. Molisani's screen pass was intercepted by Brian Yurovich at the CG 46 and returned 19 yards to the Rochester 35. On first down, Garden carried the option left for 27 yards down to the eight. Lynch swept off right tackle to score on the next play.
Bielecki rushed 21 times for 118 yards and one TD. O'Brien had 63 yards on 13 carries. Rochester rushed for 208 yards. Molisani completed 9 of 13 passes for 139 yards and three TDs. He was intercepted once and sacked three times. Ferris caught three passes for 71 yards.
Lynch rushed 25 times for 130 yards for the Bears. Coast Guard had 177 yards rushing, 77 passing. Garden was 11 of 22 for 75 yards with two interceptions. He left late in the fourth quarter with an injury. Connor Elms completed one of two passes for two yards. He was intercepted in the end zone.
