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TEAM SINGS THE FIGHT SONG AFTER THE WIN
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology jumped out to a 37-7 halftime lead and cruised to a 51-14 victory over Anderson University in the Homecoming football game on Saturday at Cook Stadium.
Sophomore Austin Swenson finished 27-39 through the air for 312 yards and three touchdowns, and the Fightin' Engineers rushed for 157 yards in a 494-yard offensive performance. Swenson connected with sophomore Alec Fisher on two touchdown passes, helping Fisher tie Rose-Hulman's single-season school record with nine touchdown receptions this season.
Junior Aaron Abbott had 10 catches for 70 yards and one touchdown, and Fisher made five receptions for 43 yards and two scores. Junior Jacob Dye had four catches for 78 yards, sophomore Joe Moehrle made four receptions for 59 yards, and freshman Zack Murphy had his first career touchdown catch to lead the receivers.
On the ground, freshman Michael Iacono led a balanced attack with 34 yards on nine carries and one touchdown. Freshman Alec Thompson finished with 32 yards and was 2-2 through the air for 25 yars, senior Greg Lee added 28 yards, and Swenson had a rushing touchdown for the Fightin' Engineers.
Sophomore Kevin Nowak led the defensive effort with seven tackles, one interception, two tackles-for-loss and one pass breakup. Freshman Tyler Brutofsky and freshman Jon Poore had six tackles each.
Freshman Brandon Volmerding had two big plays for the defense, including a 46-yard fumble return for a touchdown and another fumble recovery on the day. He added one sack in the performance.
Rose-Hulman jumped out to a 20-0 lead with three touchdowns in the first quarter. Swenson connected on a three-yard touchdown strike with Abbott to cap a five-play drive with 10:30 on the clock. Iacono scored from two yards out on the next drive, and Swenson connected with Fisher on a 14-yard strike with 29 seconds left in the opening quarter.
Anderson trimmed the margin to 20-7 with a score, but Rose-Hulman added a field goal and two more touchdowns to take a 37-7 lead into the intermission. Junior Craig Larew booted a 25-yard field goal to push the margin to 23-7, then Swenson and Fisher hooked up on another eight-yard touchdown pass. Swenson scored from one-yard out in the final minute of the first half to cap the scoring spree.
After a scoreless third quarter, Volmerding took a failed lateral pass by Anderson back 46 yards for the first defensive touchdown of his career. After the second touchdown catch of the day by Willie Robinson made the score 44-14 in favor of Rose-Hulman, Thompson and Murphy wrapped up the scoring with a five-yard touchdown strike.
Rose-Hulman improved to 4-0 on the season and 2-0 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play, while Anderson dropped to 1-4 and 1-2 in conference games. The Fightin' Engineers host Bluffton University in another league matchup next Saturday at Cook Stadium.
