Bangor, ME --- WPI built a 12-point halftime lead and then a clutch
Nathan Napier (Natick, MA) kick and a
Colin Chandonnet (Bedford, NH) interception on the final play of the game sealed it as the Engineers edged Husson on the road, 15-13 on Saturday. WPI evened its season record at 1-2 while the Eagles slip to 1-2.
Three field goals from Napier and a first-half strike from
Jack Schuck (Bangor, ME) to
Josh Castro (Pittsburgh, PA) provided all the offense WPI needed.
Defensively, WPI came up with three interceptions to halt Husson drives.
Patrick Andrews (Marlboro, MA) grabbed one late in the third quarter,
Ryan Hannigan (Needham, MA) added another early in the fourth, and Chandonnet's ended the game in favor of the Crimson and Gray.
The Engineers opened the scoring late in the first quarter when Napier converted a 22-yard field goal to finish a 14-play drive. He added a 41-yarder midway through the second quarter, and the lead grew to 12-0 before the break as Schuck and Castro connected on a 12-yard touchdown strike with under two minutes to go in the half.
Husson cut into the deficit in the third quarter. Quarterback
Max Clark (Bangor, ME) found
Cam Holmes (Newark, NJ) on a 22-yard touchdown pass at the 7:06 mark, and
Garrett Martin (New Canaan, CT) added the extra point to make it 12-7 heading to the fourth.
The same Husson combination struck again early in the final quarter, as Clark connected with Holmes from nine yards out to give the Eagles their first lead of the day at 13-12. The hosts had a chance to make it a four-point game, but WPI stopped the two-point conversion, setting up the comeback.
With less than a minute remaining, the Engineers advanced into the red zone and Napier calmly delivered a 35-yard field goal to put WPI back in front for good. The ensuing drive saw Husson get down to the Engineers' 32-yard line, but an issue with a shotgun snap and subsequent intentional grounding penalty moved the ball back towards midfield and two plays later Chandonnet's pick on a batted ball about seven yards short of the goal line closed it out as time expired.
Schuck finished 28-for-39 through the air for 231 yards and a touchdown. Castro led all receivers with four catches for 97 yards, while
Ty Csencsits (Hellertown, MA) added four receptions for 36 yards.
Dante Atwood (Newton, MA) and
Garrett Ranieri (Templeton, MA) both caught six passes apiece, and
Andrew Kanakor (Lowell, MA) paced the ground game with 16 carries.
On defense,
Carter Learned (Reading, MA) posted a team-high seven tackles.
James Compito (Washingtonville, NY) and
Nate Ambrad (Wakefield, RI) each notched six tackles, including two from Ambrad for losses.
Grant Engelhardt (Chelmsford, MA) broke up three passes, while
John Lavinio (Upper Saddle River, NJ) and
Seth Beyea (Arundel, ME) shared a sack.
Clark passed for 284 yards and two touchdowns to Holmes, who hauled in six receptions for 92 yards to pace Husson.
WPI opens NEWMAC play on Saturday, September 27, with a 12pm kickoff against Coast Guard at Alumni Stadium. Husson remains home the same afternoon, hosting Endicott at 1pm in its Conference of New England opener.
