Logo: Wesleyan Athletics

Amherst 18, at Wesleyan 13

Saturday, October 19, 1996 at Middletown, Conn.

GAME NOTES

Rushing 65 times for 243 yards, including a 129-yard effort from fullback Bob DiSabato on 25 carries, Amherst remained undefeated with a 5-0 mark following an 18-13 victory over Wesleyan, which fell to 3-2 on the year.

Amherst QB Rich Willard completed seven of 10 passes for 93 yards and rushed for two TDs, both in the second quarter, as Amherst held a 12-6 edge at intermission. Wesleyan scored the opening TD of the game on a seven-yard shuffle pass from QB Jake Fay to fullback John Pascucci 5:14 into the game. That scoring drive was kept alive by a 24-yard pass completion from punter Rob Stager to Pascucci on a 4th-and-10 play near midfield.

Josh Mason, who added 67 yards on 18 carries to the Amherst rushing total, improved Amherst's lead to 18-6 in the third quarter, completing a 73-yard, 11-play march at 9:08 following the second-half kickoff. Wesleyan responded with a 13-play, 59-yard drive that consumed six minutes and ended in a 15-yard scramble by Fay for the TD.

Amherst used its ball control to eat up most of the fourth quarter as Amherst enjoyed a 37-23 minute edge in time of possession for the game and a 10-5 margin in the fourth quarter. Amherst also demonstrated why it led the NESCAC in defense by limiting Wesleyan to a total of 158 yards. Amherst entered the game yielding an average of 162 yards and just four points a game. The 13 points scored by Wesleyan was the most allowed in a game by Amherst this year. Wesleyan came into the game averaging over 400 yards and 30 points a game.

The game was played in a steady downpour and on a field that was nearly underwater by game's end.

SCORING SUMMARY 

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr - Total
Amherst (5-0) 0 12 6 0 - 18
Wesleyan (3-2) 6 0 7 0 - 13

1st Quarter 
Wesleyan - John Pascucci 7 pass from Jake Fay (kick blocked) 9:46 (9-play, 50-yard drive)

2nd Quarter 
Amherst - Rich Willard 10 run (kick wide) 5:16 (7-play, 50-yard drive)
Amherst - Rich Willard 5 run (run failed) 2:29 (5-play, 30-yard drive)

3rd Quarter 
Amherst - Josh Mason 6 run (run failed) 9:08 (11-play, 73-yard drive)
Wesleyan - Jake Fay 15 run (Rob Stager kick) 3:06 (13-play, 59-yard drive)

4th Quarter
No scoring

TEAM STATISTICS 
WESLEYAN AMHERST
First Downs (Run-Pass-Penalty) 9 (5-3-1) 17 (13-4-0)
Rushing Attempts 32 65
Positive Yards Rushing 88 282
Negative Yards Rushing 11 39
Net Total Yards Rushing 77 243
Net Total Yards Passing 81 93
Passes Attempted-Completed-Intercepted 20-12-2 10-7-0
Total Offensive Plays 52 75
Total Net Yards 158 336
Average Gain Per Play 3.0 4.5
Penalties: Number-Yards 6-55 9-73
Fumbles: Number-Lost 2-1 4-2
Interceptions By: Number-Yards 0-0 2-7
Punts: Number-Yards-Average 6-203-35.5 4-144-36.0
Punt Returns: Number-Yards 0-0 2-9
Kickoff Returns: Number-Yards 4-53 2-28
Fumble Returns: Number-Yards   2-0 1-0
Time of Possession 23:12 36:48
Third-Down Conversions 4 of 13 8 of 17
Fourth-Down Conversions 3 of 3 1 of 3
Sacks by: Number-Yards 2-13 2-8

 


INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Amherst - Bob DiSabato, 25-129; Josh Mason, 18-67, 1 TD; Jeff Coviello, 4-31; Rich Willard, 12-14, 2 TDs; Josh Carroll, 5-12; Chris Miller, 1-(-10). Wesleyan - John Pascucci, 14-57; Tom Themistocles, 11-10; Jake Fay, 7-10, 1 TD.

PASSING: Amherst - Rich Willard, 10-7-0, 93 yards. Wesleyan - Jake Fay, 19-11-2, 57 yards; Rob Stager, 1-1-0, 24 yards.

RECEIVING: Amherst - Matt Murray, 4-74; Chris Miller, 3-19. Wesleyan - John Pascucci, 7-67, 1 TD; Tom Themistocles, 3-0; Mike Hakim, 1-8; Nate Moore, 1-6.

PUNTING: Amherst - Colin Barnacle, 4-144, 36.0 average. Wesleyan - Rob Stager, 6-203, 35.5 average.

Attendance: 1,250