TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology scored touchdowns on its first four possessions and improved to 4-1 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play with a 44-9 win over Manchester University on Saturday afternoon.
Senior Austin Swenson became Rose-Hulman's career leader for passing yards in the victory, breaking the record previously set by Derek Eitel from 2006-09. Swenson finished 25-31 through the air for 265 yards and four touchdowns as part of a 390-yard team offensive performance. He has now completed 668-1033 passes at Rose-Hulman for 7,548 yards and 73 touchdowns to hold career school records in each category.
Senior Alec Fisher led the receiving corps with 11 receptions for 145 yards and two touchdowns. Fisher holds the career school record for 32 touchdown receptions as a Fightin' Engineer.
Junior Kevin Dufauchard paced the ground attack with 89 yards and one touchdown for Rose-Hulman. Luke Kopecky and Michael Iacono also had touchdown catches for the offensive unit.
Junior Tyler Brutofsky added an interception return for a touchdown and a fumble recovery, and junior Matt Murray rounded out the scoring with a 36-yard field goal and five extra points.
Manchester was held to just 123 yards of total offense by a strong defensive performance. Mike Henry had a team-high seven tackles, with Brutofsky contributing the interception and fumble recovery.
The defensive unit also combined for five sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss on the day, led by Nate Jackson and Matt Michalak with 1.5 sacks each. Connor Kispert had two tackles-for-loss.
Rose-Hulman started the scoring early with three first quarter touchdowns. The game started with a nine-play, 89-yard drive capped by a three-yard scoring run by Dufauchard.
Swenson and Fisher then connected on two touchdown passes, a 13-yard strike followed by a 15-yarder that featured an acrobatic one-handed catch by Fisher. The lead reached 27-0 early in the second quarter when Swenson hit Iacono on a 20-yard touchdown pass.
Rose-Hulman led 30-2 at the half, after Murray made a 36-yard field goal and Manchester scored as a result of a high snap on a punt attempt.
Brutofsky pushed the lead to 37-2 with his 61-yard interception return down the left sideline. Swenson and Kopecky hooked up on an eight-yard scoring pass to cap Rose-Hulman's scoring.
Tyler Pruitt led the Manchester offense with 43 rushing yards, and Alex Downard was 6-11 through the air for 28 yards for the Spartans.
Rose-Hulman improved to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in conference play with the win, while Manchester dropped to 0-6. The Fightin' Engineers travel to Franklin for a showdown with the last undefeated team in HCAC play next Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
