Ursinus defense, WPI mistakes stop Engineers in their tracks

Season opener a disappointment; Bears 16, Engineers 6


by Amy L. Plack - Features Editor

Just after the WPI Pep Band played the national anthem at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon, the sun peeked through the clouds, warming up the bleachers. It was a good omen while it lasted, but the sun did not stay, and a chilly wind started to blow at the start of the second quarter during the Engineer's season opener versus Ursinus College.

Ironically, the sun had vanished by the time the Engineers finally scored a field goal at the end of that second quarter. The Bears triumphed by a score of 16 to 6, capitalizing on WPI's bobbles and mistakes all the way through the game, never allowing the Engineers to score a touchdown.

While at the end of the first quarter neither team had scored, the Bears started off right in the second, scoring a touchdown on a 65-yard drive less than two minutes into play. The field goal attempt failed, opening the door for WPI to get ahead, a door which remained locked throughout the game.

WPI's scoring was monopolized by two field goals kicked by the barefoot Greg Amiro (2), both 25-yarders, one in the second and one in the third quarter. From that point on, it was all Ursinus; with fourteen seconds left in the third quarter, Bears quarterback Brad Goddes tossed to wide receiver Ron Floyd in the end zone, making the score 13 to 6 with the extra point. Rallying once more, the Bears added insult to injury - another field goal with just over a minute to go in the fourth quarter.

The good news? Quarterback Frank Townsend (10) completed six of ten passes, but for only a total of 46 yards. Running back Ernie Ansah (27) played despite a rather large and obtrusive cast around most of his hand for his fractured pinkie, a pre-season injury. "He's a tough guy," according to third-year Coach Kevin Morris, and it showed. Despite several bobbles and a fumble, Ansah was chosen to run the ball up the middle play after play for a net yardage of 56 yards.

The bottom line, according to Coach Morris: "We made more mistakes than they did. They made big plays when they needed to and we didn't. We didn't particularly play a very good game on either side of the ball or on special teams, so when you're 0 for 3 there, you don't often find yourself in the win column."

Losing to the Bears this time left an especially bitter taste in the players' mouths, since it was the last time they will have the opportunity to play them for some time. The series is now tied up at two games a piece, but Ursinus won two of the three opening games. Each has beaten the other on home turf.

With this loss behind them, the team is looking forward to this week's game versus Union College in New York. Union was 8-2-0 last year, having beaten WPI 29 to 10. Still, the Engineers are eager to forget what happened on Alumni Field last week and move onward, especially with the Homecoming game versus RPI looming on the horizon.



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