Box Score
Box Score / Watch

TROY, N.Y. – Senior quarterback Jimmy Robertson (Yonkers, NY/Iona Prep.) completed 27 of 33 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns to lead Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to a 35-21 victory over Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in a Liberty League football game at '86 Field. RPI improves to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the league and retains the Transit Trophy for the 12th straight season. WPI falls to 3-1 and 0-1.

In addition to Robertson, who completed his first 11 passes and also rushed for 28 yards, the homestanding Engineers got significant offensive contributions from senior wide receiver Eren Savasli (Brooklyn, NY/Brooklyn Tech) and sophomore wide receiver Patrick McCarthy (Stafford, NH/Spaulding). Savasli caught 10 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns, while McCarthy had a game-high 12 receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown. He also threw a 29 yard touchdown pass to Savasli and rushed for five yards.

Rensselaer opened the scoring on its second drive of the game when Savasli caught a slant and outran the defense for 68 yards to the end zone. The Engineers doubled their lead on a swing pass that McCarthy took 14 yards, diving into the end zone just inside the right pylon with 5:59 left in the first quarter.

WPI bounced back to tie the game by scoring the next two touchdowns. Sophomore running back Aaron Champagne (Fairfield, ME/Lawrence) culminated a 9-play, 54-yard drive by scoring from a yard out with 1:57 left in the opening quarter. The visiting Engineers tied the game early in the second quarter when senior quarterback Justin Wells (Jay, ME/Jay) crossed the goal line from a yard out.

RPI came back to score the next two touchdowns, both in the second quarter, for a 28-14 lead at halftime. The Engineers regained the lead on a 2-yard pass from Robertson to Savasli, who outjumped the defender and pulled the ball down, with 3:00 remaining. They added to it when sophomore running back Nick Costa (Yonkers, NY/Iona Prep.) barreled into the end zone from two yards out with just 47 seconds left in the first half.

Rensselaer increased its lead to 35-14 on its second drive of the second half, culminated by a 29-yard pass from McCarthy, who received the ball on a lateral, to Savasli, who was all alone in the end zone, with 5:42 remaining in the third quarter. Wells brought the Engineers right back down the field, scoring on a 5-yard run with 50 seconds remaining in the third for the final margin.

Defensively for RPI, who held WPI to just 53 yards rushing, senior defensive lineman Khaly Merot (New Windsor, NY/White Plains) had seven tackles, including a 9-yard sack and 2.5 tackles for lost yards (15).

WPI saw sophomore linebacker Michael Oliveri (Milford, MA/Milford) make a game-high 11 tackles, including four unassisted and 0.5 for lost yards (2). Offensively, Wells connected on 21 of 38 passes for 254 yards and two interceptions. He also ran for a team-high 22 yards. The Engineers had two receivers top the 100-yard mark in yards as junior R.C. Grady (Shirley, MA/St. Bernards's) caught nine passes for 129 yards and classmate Cody McGregor (Westfield, MA/Avon Old Farms) had 102 yards on eight receptions.

Rensselaer, which improved to 54-43-5 all-time against the Engineers, is back in action on Saturday at the University of Rochester (1pm). WPI hosts Union College next Saturday at 1pm. Both games are Liberty League contests.