Logo: Wesleyan Athletics

Tufts 35, at Wesleyan 20

Saturday, September 22, 2001 at Middletown, Conn.

Notes: Junior running back Keven Kelley (Natick, Mass.) rushed 27 times for 168 yards and two TDs to lead Tufts (1-0) to a 35-20 opening-day win over Wesleyan (0-1). The win snapped a five-game Tufts losing streak to Wesleyan, dating back to 1991, and ended Wesleyan's string of consecutive opening-day victories at six. Tufts used capable running attack to pick up 315 yards as Tufts had a 20-minute advantage in time of possession. Junior Chuck McGraw added 78 yards on 17 carries. Though junior QB Scott Treacy threw for just 74 yards, he completed 10 of 17 passes with three TDs, one going to McGraw and others to Bryan Pitko and Ryan Papi. On the day the Tufts offense collected 389 yards. Wesleyan managed 338 yards of its own, most on the arm of sophomore QB Brennan Carney (South Burlington, Vt.), who completed 22 of 43 passes for 298 yards and three TDs. Senior George Thompson paced the Wesleyan receiving corps with eight catches for 142 yards and two TDs. Senior Todd Themistocles had seven receptions for 91 yards. Tufts scored three consecutive TDs on three straight possessions in the third period to pull away from a 14-14 tie as a four-play, 65-yard drive ended in a 40-yard run up the middle by Kelley with 12:07 to go, putting the visitors ahead for good, 21-14. Tufts ended the period with its most impressive drive of the day, a 13-play, 72-yard march that consumed nearly six minutes and culminated in a five-yard Kelley run, putting Tufts up, 35-14.

  1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr. 3rd Qtr. 4th Qtr, - Total
Tufts (1-0) 7 7 21 0 - 35
Wesleyan (0-1) 7 0 7 6 - 20

SCORING

1st Quarter

Tufts - Chuck McGraw 19 pass from Scott Treacy (Howie Rock kick) 11:19

Wesleyan - George Thompson 34 pass from Brennan Carney (Vin Balsamo kick) 7:23

2nd Quarter

Tufts - Bryan Pitko 27 pass from Scott Treacy (Howie Rock kick) 1:11

3rd Quarter

Wesleyan - Sam Fletcher 27 pass from Brennan Carney (Vin Balsamo kick) 13:26

Tufts - Keven Kelley 40 run (Howie Rock kick) 12:07

Tufts - Ryan Papi 9 pass from Scott Treacy (Howie Rock kick) 7:37

Tufts - Keven Kelley 5 run (Howie Rock kick) :21

4th Quarter

Wesleyan - George Thompson 3 pass from Brennan Carney (kick wide) 1:49

 

TEAM STATS

  Tufts Wesleyan
First Downs (run/pass/penalty) 26 (20/3/3) 18 (4/13/1)
Rushes - Yards 63-315 16-40
Passes Attempted - Completed - Intercepted 17-10-0 43-22-2
Passing Yards 74 298
Totals Yards 389 338
Fumbles - Lost 1-1 1-0
Penalties - Yards 9-75 7-49
Return Yards (punt, interception. fumble) 27 21
Kickoff Returns - Yards 3-71 5-82
Punts - Yards - Average 5-205-41.0 7-217-31.0
Time of Possession 38:31 21:29
3rd/4th Down Conversions 10-17/0-0 3-12/1-1
Sacks by 2-17 1-4

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Tufts - Keven Kelley, 27-168, 2 TDs ; Chuck McGraw, 17-78 ; Scott Treacy, 10-27 ; Steve Lapham, 5-25 ; Renato DePaolis, 4-17. Wesleyan - Brennan Carney, 7-18 ; Young Douglas, 5-14 ; Greg Thomas, 4-8.

PASSING: Tufts - Scott Treacy, 17-10-0, 74 yards, 3 TDs. Wesleyan - Brennan Carney, 43-22-2, 298 yards, 3 TDs.

RECEIVING: Tufts - Chuck McGraw, 5-31, 1 TD ; Matt Cerne, 2-4 ; Bryan Pitko, 1-27, 1 TD ; Ryan Papi, 1-9 ; Tim Mack, 1-3. Wesleyan - George Thompson, 8-142, 2 TDs ; Todd Themistocles, 7-91 ; Sam Fletcher, 2-42, 1 TD ; Young Douglas, 2-14 ; Greg Thomas, 2-11 ; Larry Woolard, 1-(-2).

PUNTING: Tufts - Howie Rock, 5-205, 41.0 average. Wesleyan - Sam Fletcher, 7-217, 31.0 average.

Attendance: 2,000