Football: Last-second touchdown tanks Tufts against Wesleyan

Billed as the NESCAC football game of the week, Tufts versus Wesleyan did not lack for excitement. In just the third night game ever between the two teams, Wesleyan staged an odds-defying comeback to win 24–17 in overtime under its home lights. Both teams now sit at 1–1, right in the middle of the conference standings.

Tufts won the coin toss at the beginning of the overtime period and elected to defend. In NESCAC football, an overtime period consists of both teams getting an opportunity to score from the opposing 25-yard line. Wesleyan went first and, after scampering for an 11-yard gain on first-down, junior quarterback Mark Piccirillo found senior wide receiver Mike Breuler completely open on the left side of the end zone. Facing a must-score situation, the Tufts offense stalled, ending the game.

Tufts led nearly the entire game. The Jumbos scored on their first possession and it wasn't until the last six seconds of the fourth quarter that the Cardinals tied the score.

"I think after a loss like that, an overtime loss, I wish we had a game today," senior quad-captain linebacker Steve DiCienzo said. "All you want to do is just play. Just kind of avenge that loss, even though it’s not going to be Wesleyan."

Wesleyan began its final drive of regulation at its own 20-yard line with 1:39 left to play. Tufts, ahead by a touchdown, 17–10, looked to be in strong position. Tufts senior linebacker Zach Thomas sacked Piccirillo on second down. Then, on third down, Thomas bore down on an unenviably unaware Piccirillo from the blind side, earning a strip-sack for his efforts. Wesleyan recovered but the play brought up fourth-and-15 from Wesleyan's own 15-yard line.

Although Tufts sacked Piccirillo four times during the game, the team's aggression on the defensive line also led to a number of costly penalties. The bulk of the penalties were neutral zone infractions, but coach Jay Civetti has no plans to temper his defensive line.

"We’re aggressive on defense and those guys, I tell them to ‘pin their ears back, light their hair on fire and go,’" Civetti said. "We need to be as disciplined as we possibly can, but I’m not going to slow those guys down. Hopefully you’re a good enough team that even when you have penalties, you can still overcome and win."

The game appeared over until a 33-yard catch from Breuler kept the Cardinals' drive alive. As had been the story all day, the Tufts defense bent but did not break. Tufts forced Wesleyan into another fourth-and-long situation, this time from Tufts' 38-yard line. The script flipped in the last minute though, and Piccirillo completed a pass to junior wide receiver Evan Hull for the first down.Piccirillo followed that up with a game-tying touchdown pass to the left side for senior tri-captain and wide receiver Eric Meyreles' second touchdown catch of the game.Tufts elected to squat on the ball with six seconds remaining.

Meyreles' first touchdown came at 10:09 in the fourth quarter on first-and-goal from Tufts' three-yard line. The score and extra point is what brought Wesleyan within striking distance at 17–10.

Tufts led 10–3 entering the fourth quarter, and a touchdown was long overdue. Neither team had crossed the plane since Tufts' first possession of the game.Tufts' leading receiver, junior Jack Dolan, broke that scoreless streak on an 85-yard punt return up the middle for a touchdown.

"The punt block return did such a good job all day," Dolan said. "That was I think the first real shot I got at a return all day and, I have to say, if you look at the film, the seam was incredible. We practiced really hard all week because we wanted to make a game-altering play on special teams, and I’m glad we were able to do it."

The Jumbo special teams performed well on Saturday with a punt-return for a touchdown and blocked field goal attempt. Fifth-year Wesleyan kicker Corey Phillips was pressured all game by the Tufts defense. The Jumbos held the Cardinals to a 36-yard field goal attempt on their first drive, thanks in large part to DiCienzo bursting through the Cardinals offensive line for a sack on third down. On fourth down, junior defensive back Tim Preston dove to block the field goal, sending the ball spiraling straight up into the air and preventing the Cardinals from getting on the board early.

On Tufts' first drive of the game, the Jumbos elected to establish the run. Junior running back Dominic Borelli took four straight carries for three, seven, two and 12 yards each. He has stepped into the feature back role in Tufts' run-first offense and carries much of the weight of the offense on his 200-pound frame. Borelli's 98 yards rushing on 25 carries against Wesleyan is a good foundation for Tufts to build upon.

"He’s just learning how to be a premier back," Civetti said. "He’s learning how to carry the ball 25 to 30 times a game. That takes time. Part of that maturing is just understanding what that means for your body and what that means for your production and how you control yourself throughout the course of a game."

Nearly in the red zone at Wesleyan's 35-yard line, Tufts tried for first down on fourth-and-4. Junior quarterback Ryan McDonald couldn't find an open receiver and took off along the left sideline. Rather than go out of bounds after picking up the first down, McDonald took a shot at the end zone and, all but jumping over a defender, crossed the plane.

A dual-threat quarterback, McDonald added 122 rushing yards to his 155 passing yards, but threw two interceptions. On one, the intended receiver fell down, and the Cardinals easily picked the otherwise well thrown pass. Dolan paced the Tufts offense in catches for the second straight week with five against Wesleyan.He had nine against Hamilton in the week prior. In the NESCAC, McDonald is second only to Trinity junior running back Max Chipouras in rushing yards with 214 to Chipouras' 217.

First-year kicker Matthew Alswanger was perfect on the day with a field goal conversion from 23 yards out and two extra point conversions.

On defense, Tufts benefited from the tackling machine that is sophomore linebacker Greg Holt. Holt led the NESCAC in tackles last season with 12.3 per game and paced the Jumbos with 16 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble against the Cardinals.DiCienzo contributed nine tackles of his own and, after Holt tipped a pass over the middle, DiCienzo caught his first interception for Tufts.

"I think our [defense] as a whole, I think that loss could have been the best thing for us, where we’re going to be inspired by that," DiCienzo said. "We know our back’s against the wall now. We know what we have to do. Can’t afford any more losses. Win is the only option. The way our team is fueled I think it’s the best thing for us."

Tufts next travels to take on Bates at 1 p.m. on Saturday.Despite its 0–2 record, Bates should not be taken lightly, because its losses came at the hands of Amherst and Trinity, both now 2–0. Traditionally the Tufts versus Bates matchup is a close one. Though Tufts has won the last two contests, they were decided by a combined six points.

"Since I’ve been here, this game has gone down to the wire," Civetti said. "This is a backyard brawl. It always has been, and I’m assuming it always will be. Those Bates kids are coached well, they’re tough [and] they’re gritty."