Box Score

KINGS POINT, N.Y. - Senior Adam LoGiudice (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) scored on two returns and classmate Jay Bernardo (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia) rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown to lead Rensselaer to a 42-31 Liberty League victory over the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

LoGuidice got his career day off to an incredible start with a game-opening 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to give the Engineers a 7-0 lead. USMMA evened the scored at 7-7 when sophomore quarterback Chuck Kleinschnitz threw a 63-yard bomb to junior wide out Jon Spiropoulos down the far sideline with 7:02 left in the first quarter.

The Engineers regained the lead when its special teams once again came up with a big play. RPI capitalized on a fumbled punt return catch by Spiropoulos with Armin Warner (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) recovering the ball o the USMMA 35-yard line.  Two plays later, sophomore quarterback Jimmy Robertson (Yonkers, NY/Iona Prep) threw a 34-yard completion to Eren Savasli (Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn Tech) to make it first-and-goal at the one.  Bernardo followed with a one-yard touchdown run to give the Engineers a 14-7 lead.

Another unlucky bounce by the Mariners cost them seven more points two plays later, this time on the offensive side of the ball as a Kleinscnitz pass bounced off the receiver's hands to LoGuidice, who scored his second touchdown of the quarter with a 33-yard return to make it a 21-7 Rensselaer advantage.

RPI made it 28-7 two possession later, when the offense drove 82 yards on 11 plays, capped by Robertson’s 23-yard TD pass to Savasli.

USMMA put three on the board at the conclusion of the half when sophomore Geoff Troy split the uprights from 36-yards with seven seconds remaining to make it a 28-10 margin at the break.

RPI added to its lead in the third quarter when Robertson capped a six-play, 50-yard drive with a scoring strike to Savasli from nine-yards out to make it a 35-10 affair.

The Mariners answered at the end of the third quarter with a 10-play, 64-yard drive, capped by a J.J. Watson three-yard touchdown run to narrow the margin.

USMMA then opened the fourth quarter with another score, this time with Watson cashing in for a nine-yard score to make it a two possession ball game, 32-24.

Following a missed field goal by the home team, Robertson threw his third and final touchdown pass of the day, this time connecting with Brendan McGowan from five yards out to make it 42-24.
USMMA added a final score with 4:42 remaining as Watson scored his third touchdown of the game from two-yards out to make it a 42-31 final.

Robertson was 22-of-34 for 262 and three scores whle Kleinschnitz finished the afternoon 24-of-39 for 352 yards, including a touchdown and an interception.

Bernardo paced the RPI running attack with 132 yards and one score on 25 attempts.  Savasli led RPI’s receiving corps with 130 yards and two scores on six grabs.  Watson led the Mariners rush attack with 83 yards on 13 carries and three scores.

Defensively, LoGuidice added ten tackles and a sack to his two touchdowns. Warner had eight stops on the day for the Engineers (4-2, 1-2 Liberty League).