Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

One of the nation's top undergraduate
engineering, science, and mathematics colleges

updated 10/13/2007

Rose-Hulman Improves to 5-2 with 21-14 Win Over Bluffton

Steve Hawkins scored the first touchdown of the day on this first quarter interception.

TERRE HAUTE, IND. – Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology improved to 5-2 on the season and 2-2 in HCAC play with a 21-14 win over Bluffton University on Saturday.

Sophomore Derek Eitel (Marshall, Ill.) completed 14 of 25 passes for 157 yards and the Engineers rushed for 165 in a balanced attack. Junior Bryan Wong (Warsaw/Tippecanoe Valley) led the ground effort with 66 yards.

The Rose-Hulman defense also played a major role in the victory. Senior Steve Hawkins (Casey, Ill.) snagged two interceptions and put Rose-Hulman ahead with a 42-yard interception return in the first quarter.

Junior Paul Spreen (Williams/Bedford N. Lawrence) added nine tackles, two forced fumbles and 2.5 sacks to lead the defensive line. Senior Casey Boley (Nashville/Brown County) and sophomore Kyle Stevens (Santa Cruz, Calif./Harbor) each recovered fumbles as the Engineers forced four turnovers in the game.

Tyler Thornton scored the final touchdown of the day to increase the Engineer lead.

Kyle Coffman led the Bluffton offense with a 15-30 passing performance for 169 yards. Sam McCullough recorded 16 tackles to lead the Beavers

The Engineers jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the Hawkins 42-yard interception return on the first Bluffton drive. His second career touchdown put Rose-Hulman in front.

Bluffton tied the score at 7-7 on its next possession, a 10-play, 67-yard drive. Gregori Mason sprinted 11 yards for the score with 5:33 left in the opening frame.

Rose-Hulman captured a 14-7 lead on its final possession of the first quarter. The nine-play, 70-yard march ended with a lofting touchdown pass from Eitel to freshman Reed Eason (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) from 11 yards out with 2:23 left in the first quarter.

The defenses took over for the rest of the first half, as Rose-Hulman took a 14-7 lead into the locker room. Stevens fumble recovery on a Bluffton drive late in the quarter helped the Engineers secure the seven-point lead at the break.

Derek Eitel threw for 157 yards and one touchdown in the victory.

The Engineers scored on their first drive of the third quarter, a 13-play, 70-march that used six minutes and 23 seconds. Eitel and Wong connected on a 14-yard pass to move the ball to midfield, and an 11-yard rush by Wong moved the team near the redzone.

Thornton capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run with 8:34 left in the third quarter.

Bluffton closed to within 21-14 on a three-play drive that ended on a two-yard scoring run by Mason with 57 seconds left in the third quarter.

Rose-Hulman relied on a key defensive stand in the fourth quarter to secure the victory. Bluffton advanced to the Engineer 46-yard line and converted a fourth-down opportunity, before Hawkins intercepted a pass by Coleman with 1:46 left to thwart the drive.

The Engineers improved to 5-2 on the season and 2-2 in HCAC play, while Bluffton dropped to 0-6 and 0-3 in league games. Rose-Hulman hosts HCAC leader Franklin College next Saturday at Cook Stadium.