Logo: Wesleyan Athletics

at Amherst 36, Wesleyan 14

Saturday, October 18, 1997 at Amherst, Mass.

GAME NOTES

Scoring 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, Amherst pulled away from Wesleyan for a 36-14 victory to extend its winning streak to five games while handing Wesleyan its first loss of the season.

Ranked no. 3 among ECAC New England Division III teams, Amherst (5-0) rolled up an impressive 547 yards on the day as QB Rich Willard completed 19 of 32 passes for 309 yards and two TDs while the Lord Jeffs, behind the running of Darin Byrne and Jeff Coviello, amassed 238 yards on the ground. Byrne, doing most of his damage in the first half, led all runners with 123 yards on 20 attempts, 109 of them coming in the opening 30 minutes and including a 10-yard TD run. Coviello had 18 carries for 90 yards and a pair of TDs. On the receiving end for Amherst, Todd Haggerty, with a 73-yard TD catch in the first quarter, had five receptions for 130 yards.

Wesleyan (4-1), ranked sixth in the region, recovered from a 21-0 halftime deficit with 14 points in the third period. With Matt Perceval hauling in seven catches for 165 yards, including a 67-yarder to set up the second TD after his 13-yard reception accounted for the opening Wesleyan score, the Cardinals made a game of it going into the final 15 minutes. John Pascucci tied the Wesleyan career record for rushing TDs with his 19th, going in from a yard out in the final minute of the third quarter. Jake Fay directed the Wesleyan offense by completing 19 of 32 passes for 277 yards. But despite the efforts of Fay and Perceval, who ended the day with 259 all-purpose yards, Wesleyan was limited to just 13 offensive plays and 10 net yards in the fourth quarter by the nation's no. 2-ranked defensive squad in Division III. Amherst showed how it came into the game allowing its opponents fewer than 50 yards on the ground on average as the Lord Jeffs, who have 28 QB sacks this season, held Wesleyan to minus-five yards total on the ground from 24 rushes. Six Amherst sacks resulted in 32 yards lots by Wesleyan.

The win was Amherst's fourth in a row over Wesleyan.

SCORING SUMMARY 

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr - Total
Wesleyan (4-1) 0 0 14 0 - 14
Amherst (5-0) 7 14 0 15 - 36

1st Quarter 
Amherst - Todd Haggerty 73 pass from Rich Willard (Liam Fleming kick) 5:47 (6-play, 91-yard drive)

2nd Quarter 
Amherst - Darin Byrne 10 run (Liam Fleming kick) 14:30 (10-play, 80-yard drive)
Amherst - Jeff Coviello 7 run (Liam Fleming kick) 5:59 (13-play, 74-yard drive)

3rd Quarter 
Wesleyan - Matt Perceval 13 pass from Jake Fay (Ben Kozik kick) 9:43 (12-play, 97-yard drive)
Wesleyan - John Pascucci 1 run (Ben Kozik kick) 0:44 (4-play, 80-yard drive)

4th Quarter
Amherst - Liam Fleming 29 field goal 11:28 (12-play, 80-yard drive)
Amherst - Jeff Coviello 4 run (kick failed) 7:40 (8-play, 71-yard drive)
Amherst - Colin Barnacle 13 pass from Rich Willard (kick failed) 1:51 (8-play, 51-yard drive)

TEAM STATISTICS 
AMHERST WESLEYAN
First Downs (Run-Pass-Penalty) 31 (16-15-0) 17 (2-14-1)
Rushing Attempts 52 25
Positive Yards Rushing 258 47
Negative Yards Rushing 30 49
Net Total Yards Rushing 228 (-2)
Net Total Yards Passing 311 303
Passes Attempted-Completed-Intercepted 32-19-0 37-21-1
Total Offensive Plays 84 62
Total Net Yards 539 301
Average Gain Per Play 6.42 4.85
Penalties: Number-Yards 5-45 6-45
Fumbles: Number-Lost 1-1 1-1
Interceptions By: Number-Yards 1-6 0-0
Punts: Number-Yards-Average 2-59-29.5 5-181-36.2
Punt Returns: Number-Yards 0-0 3-19
Kickoff Returns: Number-Yards 2-51 6-117
Fumble Returns: Number-Yards   0-0 0-0
Time of Possession 32:24 27:36
Third-Down Conversions 5 of 12 1 of 8
Fourth-Down Conversions 2 of 3 2 of 3
Sacks by: Number-Yards 5-26 0-0

 


INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Wesleyan - Tom Themistocles 7-17; John Pascucci, 7-6; Dale Hendricks, 1-4; Nate Moore, 1-(-6); Mark Schofield, 2-(-12); Jake Fay, 6-(-14). Amherst - Darin Byrne, 20-132, 1 TD; Jeff Coviello, 18-90, 2 TDs; Bob DiSabato, 12-39; Team, 1-(-14).

PASSING: Wesleyan - Jake Fay, 32-19-1, 277 yards, 1 TD; Mark Schofield, 5-2-0, 29 yards. Amherst - Rich Willard, 32-19-0, 309 yards, 2 TDs.

RECEIVING: Wesleyan - Matt Perceval, 7-165, 1 TD; John Pascucci, 5-47; Shane Doyle, 3-42; Mike Hakim, 3-19; Tom Themistocles, 2-15; Henry Wasserman, 1-18. Amherst - Colin Barnacle, 6-82, 1 TD; Todd Haggerty, 5-130, 1 TD; Shaun Quigley, 4-55; Bob DiSabato, 2-18; Jeff Coviello, 1-16; Paul Rieckoff, 1-8.

PUNTING: Wesleyan - Rob Stager, 4-143, 35.8 average. Amherst - Colin Barnacle, 2-59, 29.5 average.

Attendance: 12,473