THE BASICS:
- Score: WPI 37, MIT 34 (OT)
- Records: MIT (0-1); WPI (1-0)
- Location: Cambridge, Mass. (Steinbrenner Stadium)
- The Lead: Despite rallying from a late 10-point deficit to force overtime, the MIT football team dropped its season opener to visiting WPI by a 37-34 final on Friday night at Steinbrenner Stadium. In front of a standing room only crowd of over 1,200, the Engineers used an onside kick recovery to set up the tying field goal with just 10 seconds left in regulation.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- MIT struck first just 5:20 into the opening half as senior Matt Lindsay (Batavia, Ill.) pulled in a 15-yard touchdown from sophomore Udgam Goyal (Frisco, Texas) for the early 7-0 lead. WPI answered just five seconds into the second though as freshman Sean McAllen found the end zone from four yards out to begin a tremendous night for the rookie running back.
- The hosts answered right back as sophomore Eddy Garcia-Montes (Miami, Fla.) hauled in a 45-yard touchdown pass across the middle to put MIT back up by a touchdown. The big plays continued on the ensuing possession as McAllen raced up the far sideline for the 74-yard touchdown just 21 seconds later to knot the game for a second time.
- Blaine Bursey connected from 23 yards out midway through the second quarter for a 17-14 WPI lead at the half. The Engineers added to that advantage with 8:34 remaining in the third as Brandon Eccher pulled down a touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone for the 24-14 lead. Dan Eckler lofted the ball high into the corner and Eccher dragged his feet just inbounds.
- MIT erased that 10-point deficit in a span of just 2:27 though as senior Tucker Cheyne (Avon, Conn.) converted a 23-yard field goal and freshman Sean Kent (Bend, Ore.) returned a punt 70 yards for the tying score. Kent took off up the near sideline and after being sprung free by a crushing block, he cut back and eventually found the end zone for his first career touchdown.
- WPI continued a solid night on the offensive side and used another Eccher touchdown and a Bursey 37-yard field goal to seemingly put the game out of reach at 34-24 with 5:31 left. With just 2:40 on the clock, MIT junior Rob DiSanto (Havertown, Pa.) gave the hosts new life with an incredible one-handed interception that he returned to the 22-yard line. Garcia-Montes turned that into points as Goyal found him from two yards out to make it a three-point game.
- Cheyne tried an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff and it worked as the Engineers took control at midfield with 1:39 remaining on the clock. MIT had a fourth down play on the drive and Jared Hanson (Benicia, Calif.) kept the possession alive as he pulled down a bobbled ball to get to the WPI 39-yard line. After another Hanson catch across the middle, the Engineers eventually used a 37-yard Cheyne field goal to force overtime.
- After MIT came up empty on the first possession as a 42-yard field goal attempt went wide left, Bursey converted a 19-yard attempt of his own to earn WPI's second straight three-point victory over MIT.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Garcia-Montes led the MIT offense with 11 catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns, while Goyal completed 24 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns. Freshman John Robertson (Brentwood, Tenn.) led the rushing attack in his first start as he had 87 yards on 24 carries.
- For WPI, McAllen ran for 215 yards and two touchdowns, while Eckler completed 13 passes for 167 yards a pair of touchdowns. Eccher pulled down six catches for the visitors, including two touchdowns, as he posted 77 yards.
- Defensively, MIT was led by an eight-tackle showing from Matt Iovino (Sayville, N.Y.) that included a pair of tackles for loss. For WPI, senior Brian Murtagh finished with 15 tackles that included 10 assisted stops.
UP NEXT:
- MIT is back in action on Saturday, September 10th as the Engineers play host to Becker College for a 1 p.m. start at Steinbrenner Stadium.
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