Box Score

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Aaron Molisani (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) ran for two touchdowns and threw for another to lead the University of Rochester to a 30-23 victory over visiting Rensselaer at Edwin Fauver Stadium here today.

Molisani finished 22 of 29 for 195 yards. He was intercepted once and sacked three times, twice by RPI’s James McLaughlin (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro). He ran 18 times for a net gain of 67 yards and scored on a pair of five-yard runs. He completed a 13-yard TD pass to Pedro Sosa (Rochester, NY/Gates Chili)

Matt Bielecki (Albany, NY/Burnt Hills) also ran for a 16-yard touchdown for the Yellowjackets. He finished with a game-high 129 yards on 32 carries. It’s the seventh time he topped 100 rushing yards this season and the 14th time in his career. Bielecki moved into second pale in career rushing at Rochester with 2,831 yards.

Rochester improved to 7-2 overall, 4-1 in the Liberty League. The Yellowjackets are tied for second place in the Liberty League standings with Hobart. Rochester plays at Hobart next Saturday.

For RPI, Jimmy Robertson (Yonkers, NY/Iona Prep) passed for 300 yards and two touchdowns. He completed 18 of 28 passes with one interception. He was sacked five times. Robertson threw for 253 yards in the second half and consistently rallied the Engineers within striking distance.

Rochester built a 15-0 halftime lead on a five-yard scoring run by Molisani and the 13-yard TD pass to Sosa after Zach Ingoldsby (Allison Park, PA/Hampton) blocked a punt at the RPI 28.

In the second half, Robertson led RPI on scoring drives on four of six possessions. Drew Taranto (Baldwinsville, NY/CW Baker) kicked a 25-yard field goal to end an 11-play, 65-yard drive early in the third. On the next possession, RPI went 85 yards in seven plays, highlighted by Roebrtson’s screen pass that Brendan McGowan (Mesa, AZ/Mountain View) turned into a 36-yard TD. That pulled RPI within 15-10.

Molisani answered with a six-play, 63-yard drive that pushed Rochester in front, 22-10. With the ball near midfield, he hit three different receivers, the last a 20-yarder to Ingoldsby which put the ball on the RPI 5. Molisani carried up the middle for the score on the next play.

Early in the fourth quarter, Taranto’s 30-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Osaze Ogbahon (Brooklyn, NY/Poly Prep). A Rochester punt and penalty against the Yellowjackets for kick-catching interference put the ball on the UR 39 with 11:55 to go. Robertson threw two straight passes to Jon Branche (Schenectady, NY/Colonie), the last a 13-yard TD pass to Branche in the left corner of the end zone. Taranto’s PAT made it 22-17 with 11:37 left.

The Yellowjacket defense produced turnovers twice in the last eight minutes. On 2nd-and-14 from his own 26, Robertson connected with Branche at the 40. Rochester’s Peter Kum-Nji (Richmond, VA/Taylor-Allerdice [PA]) popped the ball loose and Sean Simpson (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) caught it at the RPI 44.

Molisani scrambled for a 30-yard gain to the RPI 16 and Bielecki ran for a TD on the next play. Molisani completed a two-point pass to Jay Jay Vanderstyne (Victor, NY/Victor) to put Rochester ahead, 30-17.

RPI scored immediately. Robertson hit McGowan for 17 yards, then Eren Savasli (Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn Tech) for 25 down to the three. Jay Bernardo (East Greenbush, NY/LaSalle Institute) scored the TD. Rochester’s Pat Gallagher (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) blocked Taranto’s PAT, leaving Rochester in front, 30-23 with 4:41 left.

The Engineer defense held and got the ball with 2:36 left at their own 43. Robertson overthrew Savasli deep down the right side and Rochester’s Andy Rape (Zelienople, PA/Freedom Area) intercepted at the R 17. Molisani scrambled for one first down, then hit Vanderstyne for 20 yards near midfield. Two runs by Bielecki moved the ball into RPI territory and Molisani was able to kneel with the snap on the game’s final play.

Rochester rushed for 180 yards and passed for 195 more. Vanderstyne caught 13 passes for 115 yards. He tied the single-game record set by Ben Rizzo in 1986 and matched by Michael LeFlore in 1995. He broke the Rochester single-season record for catches with 67 (it was 62 by LeFlore in 1995) and yardage with 935 (it was 882 by Brian Ferris in 2002).

Bernardo led RPI on the ground with 66 yards on 16 carries. Branche caught five balls for 99 yards. Savasli caught four for 99 and McGowan had four for 76.

Defensively, Nick Foglia (Watervliet, NY/CBA) had 13 solo tackles and four assists, including two tackles for loss for RPI. Armin Warner (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) had eight solos, six assists, one sack and another tackle for loss. For Rochester, Simpson had eight solos, one sack, one fumble recovery.