ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The RPI football team remained unbeaten in Liberty League play with a 41-7 victory over the University of Rochester this afternoon at Edwin Fauver Stadium. The Engineers intercepted seven passes, including three returned for touchdowns, to tie the program single-game record for interceptions.
After a scoreless opening quarter, the RPI defense produced the game's first points midway through the second.
Matt Krauza intercepted a Rochester pass and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown to give the Engineers a 6-0 advantage.
Rochester briefly moved in front with a touchdown late in the second quarter, but RPI answered just 44 seconds later.
Micah Balzarini connected with
Kayden White for a 41-yard touchdown to complete a three-play, 66-yard drive and send the Engineers into halftime with a 13-7 lead.
The RPI defense took control after the break.
Nicholas Rossi intercepted a pass on Rochester's opening possession of the third quarter before
Luke Lavello picked off another pass and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown to extend the Engineers' lead to 20-7.
Justin McCormack later capped a 58-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run to give RPI a 27-7 advantage entering the fourth quarter.
Alex Clark added the Engineers' third interception return for a touchdown just 11 seconds into the fourth, taking a pass back 30 yards for a score. RPI then turned another interception, this time by
Lance Hersh, into a four-play, 46-yard scoring drive that ended with McCormack finding
Grayson Hunter for a 23-yard touchdown and the final 41-7 margin.
White led the RPI offense with 109 rushing yards on 23 carries while adding four receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown. Hunter caught three passes for a team-high 71 yards and a score. Balzarini completed 12 of 21 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown, while McCormack completed both of his attempts for 44 yards and a score and added 28 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Engineers finished with 356 yards of total offense.
Defensively, RPI's seven interceptions tied the program record and accounted for 154 return yards and three touchdowns. Lavello and Hersh recorded two interceptions apiece, while Krauza, Clark, and Rossi each added one. Hersh also led the Engineers with six tackles, while Krauza,
P.J. Poknis, and
Owen Boland recorded five stops each. Boland finished with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks as RPI limited Rochester to 212 total yards and just 47 yards on the ground.
