MIDDLETOWN, CT (September 21, 2024) -- The Tufts University football team battled the entire game on defense, but hosts Wesleyan University outlasted the Jumbos 20-9 Saturday evening from Corwin Stadium in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play.
Wesleyan wasted no time getting on the board, as Niko Candido connected with Chase Wilson for a 75-yard touchdown score on the first play from scrimmage to make it 6-0. Tufts would battle back to tie the game in the second quarter thanks to a pair of field goals from
Vaughn Seelicke from 22 yards and 32 yards out.
The Cardinals (2-0, 2-0 NESCAC) regained the lead on a Tyler Flynn touchdown rush, as Wesleyan took advantage of a blocked punt that set the hosts up at the Jumbos 11-yard line.
On the next possession, Tufts drove 47 yards over 11 plays before Seelicke connected on a career-high 41-yarder to make the score 13-9 going into the halftime break. For Seelicke, he tied his career-high for field goals in a game, which he has now down three times in his career and twice this season.
The defenses would continue to play well in the second half, but Wesleyan extended its lead to 20-9 at 10:22 of the third quarter after Candido hit Angelo LaRose for an 11-yard receiving touchdown. The Tufts defense would stiffen from that point, now allowing another point.
Tufts nearly made it a one-score game at 3:12 of the third quarter, but Seelicke's attempt from 49 was just wide right. The Jumbos got three more punts in a row to stay within 11, but another field goal attempt was wide left with 6:55 to go in the game.
The last chance for the Jumbos came with 3:20 to go in the game, as the Jumbos hit a big 45-yard pass play to first-year
Keller Rogers to get into Cardinal territory. On the next play though, Luke LaSaracina picked off
Michael Berluti at the one-yard line to seal the victory.
Berluti finished with 249 yards on 17-of-42 passing, also rushing for a team-high 49 yards on six attempts.
Khallid Calhoun rushed for 33 yards on seven carries, while
Christian Shapiro posted 30 yards on 13 rushes.
Matt Rios caught three passes for 103 yards, and
Cade Moore had four grabs for 33 yards.
Defensively,
Jeff Xu had seven tackles and
Jameer Alves and
Dom DeCrescenzo added six tops apiece.
Louis Timmins also picked off one pass and finished with three stops, while
Riley Yaker led the team with three hurries and two tackles. The Jumbos allowed just 12 first downs on the night and only 152 yards passing, but went 4-for-17 on third downs.
Candido ended 7-for-25 for 152 yards and two scores, and Tyler Flynn led Wesleyan on the ground with 55 yards on 13 carries.
Tufts returns to action Saturday, September 28 at 1 p.m., hosting Amherst College at Ellis Oval.
--JUMBOS--
