WORCESTER, MA - The Yellowjackets produced outstanding performances on both sides of the football and posted a 34-7 victory at Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Saturday.
Rochester's defense held the Engineers to 257 yards on 67 plays and just one score in the red zone. WPI got inside the 20 five times.
On the other side of the ball, Aaron Molisani threw for 202 yards and three TDs - one to Pat O'Brien, one to Jay Jay Vanderstyne, and one to Pat McCarthy. Matt Bielecki led the ground game with 177 yards on 30 attempts and scored twice.
"You could see that we came here with a purpose," said Rochester head coach Scott Greene. "We (coaches) could see it at practice on Friday and in the team meetings that night."
The victory improves Rochester's record to 5-2 overall, 3-1 in the Liberty League. WPI is 2-4 overall, 0-4 in the Liberty League. It was Rochester's third straight victory and the fourth consecutive loss for the Engineers.
Rochester's win came against the team that pulled off a stunning final minute victory over the Yellowjackets on Meliora Weekend in 2005. The Engineers threw a 61-yard TD pass with 30 seconds left and left Fauver Stadium with a 19-17 win. Two years ago in Worcester, Rochester jumped ahead 10-0 only to see WPI score five straight TDs for a 34-10 victory.
"This was an important victory coming off a bye week," Greene said.
Offensively, the Yellowjackets had gaudy numbers - 485 yards on 79 plays; both are season highs. The defense was just as tough. WPI came into the game averaging 30 points a game. Two weeks ago, the Engineers rallied to within 28-27 of Union (in Worcester) and saw the potential gamewinning two-point conversion pass picked off by the Dutchmen with 30 seconds to play.
The Yellowjacket defensive wall held, time after time. One of the most crucial stops came late in the third quarter when WPI had the ball fourth and goal at the 3 with Rochester ahead, 20-7. Jim Vicario broke through and dropped the ball carrier for a four-yard loss. Rochester took over and promptly marched 93 yards in 14 plays, ending with Molisani's 11-yard spiral to Vanderstyne in the corner of the end zone.
Rochester's offense showed patience. Four of the scoring drives lasted 10 plays or more. The Yellowjackets marched 73 yards in 10 plays after the opening kickoff and scored on a three-yard run by Bielecki. After WPI missed a field goal, Rochester marched 80 yards in 11 plays, scoring on Bielecki's two-yard run.
Alix Orton put WPI on the scoreboard, running for an eight yard TD in the second quarter. Rochester got a long kick return by Zach Ingoldsby, then went 37 yards in five plays with Molisani connecting with O'Brien for a 10-yard TD pass and a 20-7 cushion at the break.
"Our defensive coaches did a great job," said Greene. "We gave 'em (WPI) short fields. Our defense stood up, stopped them, then gave the ball back to our offense - and we did something with it."
Molisani completed 19 of 26 throws for 202 and the three scores. He was intercepted once. Vanderstyne caught nine balls for 108 yards.
