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TROY, N.Y. – Freshman running back Matt Wood rushed for a career-high 102 yards to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team to a 13-10 win over the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in a constant rain at the East Campus Stadium in the regular season finale for both teams. RPI improves to 5-4 overall and 3-4 in the Liberty League, while the Mariners fall to 4-6 and 2-5.

Wood (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles) carried the ball 15 times to lead the rushing attack, which finished with 209 yards. Sophomore Eric Marciano (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) added 89 yards on 17 carries for the Engineers.

Rensselaer opened the scoring on its first drive, which was set up by an interception by senior David Schepperly (Hopewell Junction, NY/Carmel). The Engineers went 70 yards on seven plays, highlighted by a 37-yard run by Wood, in 2:55. The drive ended with an 8-yard fade pass to the left corner of the end zone from freshman quarterback Mike Hermann (Hardeeville, SC/Avon Old Farms) to senior Nick Duncan (Voorheesville, NY/Voorheesville). For Duncan, the touchdown reception was the first of his career.

The visiting Mariners responded following a muffed punt to tie the game at 7-7 with 1:42 left in the first quarter. After getting the ball at the RPI 17, USMMA used five plays, capped off with a 4-yard touchdown run by freshman running back Alex Coviello (Cape Coral, FL/Cape Coral), to knot the score.

Rensselaer took advantage of another turnover, this time a Merchant Marine fumble at its own six yard line, to regain the lead. After RPI's Darryl Brown (Hollis, NY/Bayside) recovered a loose ball caused by a Colton Hill (Troy, NY/Tamarac) sack, the Engineers got a 5-yard touchdown run up the middle from Eric Marciano. The extra point was blocked and RPI led, 13-7, midway through the first half.

Merchant Marine pulled to within three points on a 35-yard field goal by Richard Grennen (Port Jefferson, NY/St. Anthony's) midway through the fourth quarter. The Mariners gained possession of the ball on an RPI fumble at the RPI 40-yard line. The Mariners attempted to tie the game with a 42-yard field goal attempt with just 43 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter but Grennen's try was short.

While Wood and Marciano paced the rushing attack, Hermann finished 6 for 13 for 42 yards passing, including three passes for 25 yards to junior Ray Davis (Worcester, MA/South High Community).

Defensively, Schepperly had a team-high 11 tackles, including five unassisted, an 11-yard sack, two tackles for lost yards (12) and the interception. Classmate Stefan Schulz (Bradford, MA/Haverhill) added 10 tackles, including five solos.

For USMMA, senior linebacker Calder Kaatz (Sheidan, MT/Sheidan) made a game-high 14 tackles, including seven unassisted and a 7-yard sack. Marcus Broeder (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney) added eight solo tackles and four assisted stops for 12 total tackles.

Offensively, Coviello finished with 124 yards on 28 carries, including a long of 37 yards. Senior Carlton Hobkirk (Tampa, FL/H.B. Plant) completed 13 of 28 passes for 101 yards. He was intercepted twice. Chris Adema (Covington, LA/Mardeville) was the primary receiver, finishing with five catches for 56 yards for the Mariners.