DOVER, Del. – The 13th-ranked Wesley College football team scored 21 unanswered points to defeat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 45-27, in the First Round of the DIII NCAA Tournament, on Saturday at Miller Stadium. With the win, the Wolverines improve to 10-1 and advance to the Second Round, while the Engineers conclude their season with an 8-3 record.

E.J. Lee gave the hosts the lead for good with 1:06 left in the third period, finishing off an 11-play, 58-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown reception. The score gave Wesley a 31-27.

The Wolverines added a touchdown midway through the fourth on a fade route to the left side of the end zone (38-27), before capping the scoring with a 61-yard reverse to Alex Kemp for the 45-27 final.

RPI scored the game's first touchdown on its second drive of the contest. Marching 75 yards on 14 plays, the Engineers polished off the 5:36 march with a seven-yard run by senior Johnny Ramsdell. Classmate Christian Kapp added the extra point – one of his three on the day for a 7-0 lead.

Wesley answered with a 26-yard strike from quarterback Khaaliq Burroughs to Kianta Thompson, tying the game at 7-7 with 4:20 left in the opening stanza. A field goal from Nick Bruhn gave the hosts a brief lead (10-7) early in the second quarter.

Kapp then hit the first of his two field goals on the afternoon with 10:04 left in the first half to tie the score at 10-10 – finishing a 10-play, 51-yard drive.

Senior linebacker Oliver Kaija picked off a pass in Wesley territory and returned it to the Wolverines' 22 yard-line, setting up a go-ahead score. Freshman signal caller George Marinopoulos immediately found junior Keaton Ackermann streaking up the left sideline for a 17-10 RPI advantage.

Wesley came right back to tie the game at 17-all with just 22 seconds left in the first half, but a penalty on the ensuing kickoff left RPI with the ball on the Wolverines' side of the 50. The visitors took advantage, as Marinopoulos found senior Ethan Wells for 17 yards and Kapp drilled a field goal from 35 yards for a 20-17 halftime lead.

A six-yard run by Lee gave Wesley its first lead of the second half with 8:40 left in the third quarter (24-20). RPI answered less than two minutes later on Ramsdell's second touchdown of the day – an 11-yard catch in the right corner of the end zone to make it 27-24.

Marinopoulos finished 21 of 36 for 227 yards, throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions. Senior Mike Tivinis led the Engineers on the ground, carrying the ball eight times for 29 yards. Ackermann caught five passes for 75 yards and a score, while Ramsdell had five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown.

Burroughs was 27 of 44 for 325 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran seven times for 39 yards. Lee had 29 carries for 116 yards and a touchdown, while Kemp had 90 yards rushing on just three carries, while also catching a game-high 11 balls for 149 yards.

Defensively, Bryan Hayes had 13 tackles (10 solo), while Rory McCarthy had nine (7 solo). Sean Egan had seven stops, including one for loss, while Antonio Rogliano (4 tackles) turned in RPI's only sack on the afternoon.