Box Score

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Freshman running back Nick Costa (Yonkers, NY/Iona Prep) rushed for 160 yards and a touchdown and the defense held Union to just 91 yards passing as the Rensselaer football team defeated the Dutchmen, 20-14, in the Dutchman Shoes Trophy Game. With the win the Engineers end the regular season at 8-1, retain the Shoes for the second straight year and capture the Liberty League Championship.

By finishing 6-1 in the Liberty League, RPI captured the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Rensselaer’s first round opponent and the location of the game, which will be next Saturday at noon, will be announced on Sunday at 11:30am. The announcement of the entire bracket will be aired live on ESPNU.

Against the Dutchmen, who the Engineers defeated for the first time in Schenectady since 1992, Costa carried the ball 15 times for 160 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He had 13 rushes for 156 yards in the first half before being limited to just two carries in the second half due to injury.

Union opened the scoring with an eight-play, 50-yard drive that concluded when Chris Coney scored from a yard out just 10 seconds into the second quarter. RPI answered at 10:31 of the same stanza when Costa broke down the left sideline for his 59-yard scoring run. A bad snap resulted in a missed conversion attempt and Union led, 7-6.

Rensselaer juniors Jimmy Robertson (Yonkers, NY/Iona Prep) and Eren Savasli (Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn Tech) hooked up on a five-yard touchdown pass, one that Savasli pulled down in the back left corner of the end zone, at 2:25 of the second quarter and RPI led, 13-7, at halftime.

The Engineers increased their lead to 20-7 in the fourth quarter when Robertson rolled out to his right and found senior Chris Graef (Bethel, CT/Bethel) in the end zone from 14 yards out with 7:12 left. Union got those points back when quarterback Jared Gourrier scored on a two-yard keeper with 3:13 remaining.

The Dutchmen held RPI on its next three plays to force a punt and Union took over on its own 40-yard line with 1:36 showing on the clock. The first play of the series, a Gourrier pass, was intercepted by senior John Tesiero (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) and Rensselaer ran out the clock for the win.

Robertson completed 17 of 25 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted twice – both in the end zone. Freshman Patrick McCarthy (Strafford, NH/Spaulding) caught a game-high six passes for 82 yards.

Defensively, senior Anthony Casale (Troy, NY/Troy) had a game-high 12 tackles, including nine unassisted and two for lost yards (5). Classmate Tom Rayhill (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island) made 10 stops, including seven solos and three for lost yards (14). He also had two sacks (11 yards lost), a forced fumble and a pass breakup.

Union (5-4 overall; 5-2 Liberty League) was led on the defensive side of the ball by senior Vito Pellerito, who had nine tackles (4 solos).

Gourrier was 7 for 12 for 69 yards and the interception while Andy Catellier was 4 for 7 for 22 yards. Gourrier also ran for 38 yards and his score.

Rensselaer returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003 and the fourth overall. In their most recent trip, the Engineers advanced to the National Semi-Finals.