WORCESTER -- WPI quarterback Mike Ingraffia (Kings Park, NY) notched his second-straight five-touchdown performance as the Engineers topped the visiting US Merchant Marine Academy, 35-21, on H. Carr Field at Alumni Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The NEWMAC victory moves WPI to 2-2 in conference play, 4-3 overall, while the Mariners dip to 5-2 overall, 3-2 in the NEWMAC.
Ingraffia lit up the field, combining for 350 total yards, including 314 through the air. He completed 18 of 24 passes, throwing for five touchdowns with no interceptions. Ty Csencsits (Hellertown, MA) tallied four receptions for 89 yards, with a long catch of 35 yards, while Nolan Warner (Grafton, MA), Douglas Cain (Holden, MA), Jay Mezzo (Naugatuck, CT), John Chau (Suffern, NY), and Josh Castro (Pittsburgh, PA) all hauled in touchdown passes. On the ground, Chau added 19 carries for 74 yards.
WPI's defense was led by Frankie Polito (Shrewsbury, MA) and Jimmy Espinal (Salem, MA) led the Engineers with eight tackles each, while Gavin Chieff (Bernardsville, NJ) notched seven. Nate Ambrad (Wakefield, RI) added a sack, while Chieff and Rashad Stepney (Yorktown, VA) each had a pass breakup.
For USMMA, quarterback Gervy Alota (San Diego, CA) was 9-fpr-16 with 106 passing yards and added 102 yards rushing on 13 attempts. The Mariners' ground game was led by James Menor (Gresham, OR) and Will Surdez (Colts Neck, NJ), with Menor scoring once and Surdez twice. Jonathan Hardy (Savannah, GA) anchored their defense with 11 tackles, and Jack Temple (Rockville Centre, NY) recorded two sacks.
WPI accounted for the only points of the first quarter, as the Engineers struck first with a seven-yard touchdown pass from Ingraffia to Castro. The touchdown capped off a nine-play, 77-yard drive on the hosts' first possession of the game.
The Mariners dented the scoreboard on their first drive of the second quarter as Alex Nalbandyan (Arlington, MA) booted a field goal from 22-yards out to make it a 7-3 game.
However, WPI extended its advantage with Ingraffia connecting with Warner on a 31-yard touchdown, making it 14-3 with 3:57 left in the half. After the Engineers forced a three-and-out, Ingraffia found Cain on an 8-yard pass, completing a six-play, 60-yard drive and giving WPI a 21-3 lead at the break.
After halftime, USMMA closed the gap as Surdez rushed for a one-yard touchdown, narrowing the score to 21-10. WPI answered with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Ingraffia to Mezzo on the ensuing drive, making it 28-10. However, the Mariners responded once more before the end of the third, cutting the score to 28-17. A seven-yard rush from Menor capped a six-play, 65-yard drive to make it an 11-point game after three.
WPI wasted no time in the fourth quarter, scoring on the first drive of the frame. Ingraffia's fifth touchdown pass of the day, a nine-yard completion to Chau, put the Engineers up 35-17, with just over 13 minutes to play. Merchant Marine added a final touchdown, with Surdez's two-yard run closing the gap to 35-24, but WPI had no trouble holding on for the win.
Both teams continue NEWMAC play next week. WPI travels to Coast Guard for a Saturday noon kickoff, while USMMA hosts Springfield College at noon on November 9.