Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

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

updated 10/27/2007

Rose-Hulman Clinches Winning Season with Victory at Anderson

Bryan Wong rushed for 122 yards and a pair of scores.

ANDERSON, IND. – Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology clinched its second consecutive winning season and improved to 6-3 overall with a 33-15 victory over Anderson University in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference football on Saturday.

Junior Bryan Wong (Warsaw/ Tippecanoe Valley) rushed for a game-high 122 yards on 10 carries with two touchdowns to lead the Engineer offense.

Through the air, sophomore Derek Eitel (Marshall, Ill.) completed 16 of 33 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown to balance the 369-yard offensive effort. Freshman Reed Eason (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) paced the receiving corps with seven catches for 92 yards and one score.

"We pounded the ball pretty effectively on the ground, but we took our shots and did well in the passing game also. We swarmed to the ball defensively and were able to make enough plays to win," said Rose-Hulman head coach Steve Englehart.

The Anderson offense featured Chase Thurston passing for 159 yards on 20-32 through the air with one rushing touchdown. Denny Kimmel was limited to 54 yards on 14 carries, but the standout added 180 yards on four kickoff returns.

The Engineer defense featured senior Austin Hastings (Santa Ana, Calif.) leading the team with nine tackles. Senior Nick Klaserner (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) added eight stops for Rose-Hulman.

Rose-Hulman opened the scoring with a defensive touchdown late in the first quarter. Sophomore Kyle Stevens (Santa Cruz, Calif.) snagged an interception on the eight-yard line and returned it to the endzone, giving the Engineers a 7-0 lead.

The Engineer offense marched 45 yards in nine plays to make the score 10-0 with 6:03 left in the first half. Senior Jeremy Sharp (Warsaw) booted a 27-yard field goal to give Rose-Hulman a two-score advantage.

Anderson standout Denny Kimmel returned a kickoff 75 yards on the next possession to set up a 20-yard field goal by Tristan Cork that closed the Engineer lead to 10-3 in the second quarter.

Jeremy Sharp booted two field goals on the day.

Rose-Hulman reasserted control on the ensuing kickoff, when junior Tim Schrock (Avon) sprinted 53 yards on the return. Eitel connected with Eason on a 14-yard pass, then Wong sprinted 18 yards for a touchdown that put the Engineers ahead 17-3 with 3:01 left in the second quarter.

The Engineers turned a successful onside kick into a touchdown to start the second half. Sophomore Pat Duncan (Terre Haute/South) recovered the onside kick, then the Engineers marched 11 plays for the score.

Eitel capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Eason on an acrobatic catch for his fourth score of the season.

Anderson closed within 24-9 with a 12-play, 76-yard drive that ended on the first play of the fourth quarter. Chase Thurston recorded the touchdown on a three-yard run, before a missed extra point left Rose-Hulman's lead at 15 points.

The Engineers increased the advantage to 18 points at 27-9 on its next possession. Sophomore Calvin Bueltel (Huntingburg/Southridge) returned the Anderson kickoff 53 yards, then Sharp booted a 25-yard field goal to give Rose-Hulman a three-score lead.

Kimmel returned the ensuing kickoff 79 yards for a touchdown, although a missed two-point conversion kept Rose-Hulman's lead at 27-15 with 11:27 left.

Wong added his second touchdown of the day on a 39-yard touchdown run with 5:43 left in the fourth quarter, pushing the Engineer edge to 33-15. Wong powered over a pair of Anderson defenders on the run to the left pylon.

Rose-Hulman improved to 6-3 on the season and has an opportunity to record its best season since 1994 during next weekend's Senior Day matchup against Manchester College at Cook Stadium. The Engineers also improved to 3-3 on the conference campaign.