WPI 49, Umass Dartmouth 14

Box Score 

Worcester, MA --- The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth football team dropped their 2007 season opener to host Worcester Polytechnic Institute,49-17, in a non-conference football at the Engineers' newly-renovated Alumni Field Saturday evening.

UMass Dartmouth struck first, seizing a 7-0 first quarter advantage before the Engineers came back to score four times in the second quarter to take a 28-7 halftime lead.

The Corsairs scored on their third possession of the game, which lasted just a single play-a 91 yard run from scrimmage by junior running back J.T. Harold (North Andover, MA). Harold burst up the middle and outraced the secondary to put UMass Dartmouth ahead, 6-0, with 3:19 to play in the first quarter. Sophomore kicker George Vasiliadis (Worcester, MA) converted to make it 7-0.

WPI came right back to tie the score on their next series. The Engineers drove 62 yards in 13 plays, retained possession when Craig Kennedy (Seekonk, MA) fumbled the ball out of bounds on fourth down and five at the UMass Dartmouth 24, and scored on Aaron Champagne's (Fairfield, MA) two-yard run. Derek Pszybysz (North Andover, MA) converted to tie the score.

The Engineers took advantage of a short field to take the lead. The Corsairs lost a fumble on their first play from scrimmage after receiving the kickoff, giving WPI a first down at the UMass Dartmouth 36. Quarterback Rob Pantalone's (Camp Hill, PA) third down pass to Mike Burger (Ballston Lake, NY) covered half the distance, and a 15-yard touchdown pass from Pantalone to Matt Butler (Athol, MA) made it 13-7. Pszybysz converted again.

Another misplay allowed the Engineers to increase their advantage. A bad snap on fourth down to punter Vasiliadis resulted in a pass to junior linebacker Dave Bombardier (East Bridgewater, MA), who was tackled for a loss, giving the Engineers the ball at the UMD 19. Three plays later, Pantalone found Butler wide open in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown to make it 21-7.

UMD's James Green (Lynn, MA) returned the ensuing kickoff to the Corsair 47, but UMass Dartmouth was held to nine yards on three plays. One play after Vasiliadis punted to the WPI 16, Pantalone found Burger open behind the secondary for an 84 yard touchdown to make it 28-7 with five minutes left before halftime.

The Engineers were forced to punt on their first possession of the second half, but got the ball back on the UMass Dartmouth 32 after it hit a Corsair in flight and was muffed. Backup quarterback Justin Wells (Jay, ME) scored from a yard out with 10:29 to go to make it 35-7. Mike Swanton (Foxboro, MA) hit Orry Cummings (Windham, ME) for 78 yards and a third-quarter touchdown, and Wells passed seven yards to R.C. Grady (Shirley, MA) for WPI's final score in the fourth quarter.

Vasiliadis connected for his first field goal of the season from 24 yards out early in the fourth quarter to cut WPI's  lead to 42-10, and junior quarterback Alex Garro (Mattapoisett, MA) connected with junior wide receiver John Henry (Tenafly, NJ) on a play-action pass for a 44-yard touchdown with nine minutes remaining.

Harold finished with 15 carries for 204 yards, while Garro was seven of 13 for 79 yards. Pantalone completed 13 of 21 passes for 242 yards in the first half, as the Engineers out gained UMass Dartmouth, 638 yards to 308, and scored three touchdowns on drives of 39 yards or less.

The Corsairs fell to 0-1 with the defeat, while the Engineers improved to 1-0, winning the first game ever between the teams. UMass Dartmouth will return to action when they host Bridgewater State at Cressy Field Saturday afternoon, September 8th. WPI will visit crosstown rival Worcester State Friday evening.