New London, CT --- WPI quarterback Mike Ingraffia (Kings Park, NY) threw for five touchdowns as the Engineers' football team topped Coast Guard 38-14 on the road on Saturday. The NEWMAC victory sees WPI improve to 5-3 overall, 3-2 in conference play, while the Bears dip to 4-4 overall 2-3 in the NEWMAC.
Ingraffia has now thrown for five touchdowns in back-to-back weeks and 14 in the last three games. He finished today's game 17-for-20 with 255 yards through the air, while also rushing for 31 yards. Aaron Skaling (Bedford, NH) had seven catches for 104 yards, his first career 100+ yard performance, while Josh Castro (Pittsburgh, PA) notched three catches for 51 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Douglas Cain (Holden, MA), Ty Csencsits (Hellertown, MA), and Jay Mezzo (Naugatuck, CT) also caught touchdown passes for WPI. On the ground, John Chau (Suffern, NY) had 18 carries for 116 yards, a new career high, and the second 100+ yard performance of his career.
Defensively, Gavin Chieff (Bernardsville, NJ) led the Engineers with 13 tackles, while Frankie Polito (Shrewsbury, MA) had 11 and Rashad Stepney (Yorktown, VA) added 10. Cole Dillon (Billerica, MA) notched a sack, while Nate Russell (South Windsor, CT) recorded two pass breakups. Andrew Knight (Glen Rock, NJ) had a solid day with three kick returns for 81 yards, including a long of 50 yards.
Coast Guard's Joey Armentrout (Oceanside, CA) was 24-for-37 passing for 214 yards, while running for 31 yards and a score. Matthew LaBouliere (Doylestown, MA) and Amr Baadani (Fairfax, VA) were his top targets with LaBouliere catching eight passes for 98 yards and Baadani 10 for 84 yards. James Wheeler IV (Oneida, NY) carried the ball 21 times for 100 yards, while Jael Cuellar (Miami, FL) and Patrick McCaskey (Manassas Park, VA) each had eight tackles to lead the USGCA defense.
A busy first quarter saw WPI get on the board first, as a Brock Dubey (Dudley, MA) field goal from 24-yards out, capped an eight-play, 54-yard drive. Coast Guard took over the lead with an extended drive on their next possession, going 75 yards in 14 plays with a four-yard rushing touchdown from Armentrout making it 7-3 Bears. WPI answered on the ensuing drive as Castro grabbed a four-yard pass from Ingraffia to make it 10-7 Engineers after one.
Coast Guard punted its first possession of the second quarter, but the WPI offense continued to roll. The Engineers went 87-yards in 13 plays, capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass from Ingraffia to Mezzo, as the visitors extended the lead to 17-7. The Bears turned the ball over on downs on their next possession and once again WPI made them pay. The Engineers needed just over two minutes to go 58-yards, as Castro hauled in a 39-yard pass from Ingraffia to make it 24-7.
Both teams had stalled drives towards the end of the second quarter and Coast Guard missed a 22-yard field goal, keeping WPI ahead 24-7 at the half.
The Crimson and Gray pushed it to 31-7 on their first drive of the third quarter. Knight gave the Engineers great field position with a 50-yard kick-off return and Ingraffia hit Csencsits with a 36-yard pass to make it a 23-point lead. Coast Guard responded with a 21-play, 77-yard drive that ate up over eight minutes, culminating in an Armentrout rush from the six-yard line that made it 31-14 after three quarters.
WPI padded the score on its first drive of the fourth quarter, with Cain catching an 18-yard Ingraffia pass to make it 38-14. On the next possession, Coast Guard was inside visitor territory, but a fumble and a recovery from Ryan Hannigan (Needham, MA) gave the Engineers the ball back. After WPI punted, the Bears couldn't rile up anymore offense, as the Engineers' defense sealed the 38-14 victory.
Both teams continue NEWMAC play on Saturday, November 9 at noon. WPI heads to Salve Regina and Coast Guard hosts SUNY Maritime.