Andrew Haber kicked a career-long 36-yard field goal on the final snap of overtime to give the University of Rochester a 24-21 victory over Worcester Polytechnic Institute at Edwin Fauver Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The victory clinches a winning season for the Yellowjackets (5-3, 3-3), their second in a row. Rochester finishes the 2014 campaign at Hobart College next Saturday.
WPI (3-6, 2-4) lost its second straight. The Engineers lost to St. Lawrence, 20-7, in Worcester a week ago. Rochester was idle last week.
Rochester freshman end Isaiah Smith blocked a 31-yard field goal attempt by WPI's Blaine Bursey in overtime. Zach Grasis rushed four times for 11 yards in OT for WPI to move the ball to the Rochester 14. Dan Eckler missed two passes to Ian McMullen. On 4th-and-10 from the R 14, Bursey's field goal attempt was blocked by Smith which turned the ball over to the Yellowjackets.
Myles Allen rushed twice gaining six yards after an incompletion. On fourth down from the W19, Haber kicked the field goal. Early in the second quarter, his 37-yard try hit the right upright and bounced away.
Bursey missed a 27-yarder in the fourth quarter. The Engineers drove from the Rochester 46 down to the 10 midway through the period before Bursey was wide left on the kick.
Rochester's touchdowns came on a three-yard run by Daniel Bronson, a 20-yard run by Myles Allen, and a six-yard pass from Bronson to Farid Adenuga.
Eckler threw a pair of scoring passes for WPI. He completed a 30-yarder to Brandon Eccher early in the second quarter to get the Engineers on the scoreboard. In the third period, he threw a 14-yard TD to McMullen which put WPI ahead for the first time, 21-14. Grasis tied the score at 14-14 with a 12-yard run late in the second.
Grasis led all ground gainers with 97 yards on 26 carries Eckler completed 12 of 24 passes for 173 yards and two scores. He was sacked twice but not intercepted. McMullen caught four passes for 23 yards and Eccher had three catches for 75 yards.
For Rochester, Allen rushed 20 times for 83 net yards. Nick Perpignan rushed for 47 yards on 14 carries. Bronson was 16 of 27 for 246 yards with one TD and one INT. He was sacked twice.
The Engineer defense produced one interception (by Kevin Lynch), one fumble recovery (by Brian Marsh), and a blocked punt (by Pat Finn).
For Rochester, Smith had two fumble recoveries, and one blocked kick.
On the first play from scrimmage, Allen ran 66 yards down to the W14, but the play was moved back to the W38 and the Yellowjackets were penalized 15 yards for a sideline violation. That put the ball on the R47. Rochester moved slowly down the field, converting three third downs and two fourth downs. The last play was a three-yard dive through the right side by Bronson to give Rochester a 7-0 lead (after the Haber PAT).
Eckler was sacked by Matt Pisano on his third play from scrimmage at his own 35. He fumbled and Smith recovered for Rochester at the W22. Two plays later, Allen weaved around the left side for a 20-yard TD. Haber's PAT made it 14-0 with 5:35 left in the first quarter.
Rochester was pinned at its own one-yard line after a 42-yard punt by Vinny Tavernelli. On 2nd-and-7, Bronson's desperation pass downfield was intercepted by Lynch at the R43. That set up a five-play, 43-yard drive which ended on Eckler's 30-yard pass to Eccher for a TD and Bursey's PAT.
Eckler hit Eccher for a 42-yard gain midway through the second quarter and two plays later, Grasis scored on a 12-yard TD run. The Bursey extra point tied the score.
The Engineers missed a chance to seize the lead. Pisano fumbled the kickoff retu5rn and Marsh recovered at the R30. On 2nd-and-10 at the R20, Eckler stumbled, lost the ball, and Smith recovered for Rochester.
WPI opened the second half with a 9-play, 72-yard scoring drive. Eckler kept it going, keeping the ball for a six-yard gain on 4th-and-1 at the R20. He passed to McMullen for the TD on the next possession.
Bronson completed fourth down passes to Derek Wager and Kyle Allegrini in a 14-play, 78-yard drive that tied the score (Bronson's six-yard pass to Adenuga).
Finn blocked a punt by Rochester's Jeff Weinfeld (Newton, MA/Newton North) in the fourth quarter. Helped by a 31-yard completion from Eckler to Anthony Andre on 3rd-and-18, WPI drove down to the Rochester 10 before stalling. Bursey's field goal attempt drifted left.
Haber's OT Field Goal Lifts Rochester Over WPI
/seasons/2014/boxscores/20141108_en5y.xml
2014
WPI
21
Rochester
24
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WPI (3-6) | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Rochester (5-3) | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 24 |
Nov 08, 2014