Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass. – Senior Felipe Njeim (Stoughton, Mass.) rushed for a pair of scores in Nichols College's 52-20 loss to MIT Saturday afternoon in New England Football Conference (NEFC) action Saturday afternoon at Vendetti Field.

Both Nichols and MIT participated in the American Cancer Society's breast cancer awareness initiative called 'A Crucial Catch' campaign to help raise awareness for breast cancer. Donations were collected throughout the afternoon and each team's coaching staff wore pink ribbons in support of the cause. Student-athletes also dawned pink athletic tape, socks, and wrist bands.

Nichols junior Bryan Hummel (Dedham, Mass.) completed 10 passes for 180 yards a score – a 15-yarder to senior Brett Franciosi (Leominster, Mass.), who finished with five receptions for 91 yards. The loss moved the Bison to 11-14 all-time against the Engineers, who have won the last four meetings.

MIT (5-0, 3-0 NEFC) senior signal-caller Peter Williams (Portland, Ore.) completed 18-of-26 pass attempts for 195 yards and five touchdowns while, on the ground, senior Justin Wallace (Palatine, Ill.) rushed for 165 yards and three scores on 22 carries (7.4 ypc). Junior wideout Steve Esparrago (St. Louis, Mo.) hauled in seven passes for 93 yards and three touchdowns; he also scored on a 47-yard run and collected 43 yards on special teams, giving him 201 yards of total offense on the day.

The Engineers piled up 493 yards of total offense and converted eight of their 14 third-down attempts (57.1 pct.). They were also 5-of-6 in the red zone. Nichols, meanwhile, posted 315 yards of total offense – their second-highest output of the season – and was a perfect 3-for-3 in the red zone. The Bison committed only three penalties on the afternoon.

Junior captain Connor Richard (Londonderry, N.H.) led all student-athletes with 11 tackles (three solo) while senior Jonathan Winbush (Boston, Mass.) notched 10 (two solo) to go along with one pass breakup and one QB hurry. Freshman Ryan Jacques (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) elevated his team-leading sack total to 4.5 as he got to Williams once, and sophomore Matthew McEvilly (Clinton, Mass.) recorded his first interception of the season.

MIT forced two turnovers as sophomore Austin da Maille (Newbury Park, Calif.) returned a pick 67 yards and freshman Justin Tunis (Hampstead, Md.) forced a fumble, which was recovered by sophomore Xander Eriksson (Lexington, Mass.). Sophomore Kodiak Brush (Yorba Linda, Calif.) led the Engineers with nine tackles (four solo).

Esparrago scored the first 28 points of the game as he caught TD passes of 36, 1, and 5 yards, respectively, before ripping off his touchdown run with 6:46 remaining in the half. The Bison got on the board just before halftime when Njeim took it in from three yards out (PAT blocked).

An 18-yard touchdown pass from Williams to sophomore Harris Stolzenberg (Weston, Fla.) opened the second-half scoring and pushed the MIT lead to 35-6. Njeim's second score – this one from two-yards out – capped a nine-play, 67-yard drive that was highlighted by a 52-yard hookup from Hummel to Franciosi.

Stolzenberg's second TD reception of the day from 20 yards out six seconds into the fourth made it 42-12 MIT. Following a 21-yard field goal by senior Sebastian Fischer (Piedmont, Calif.), Franciosi caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Hummel to make it 45-20 with 8:10 to go in the fourth. A 28-yard touchdown run by freshman Luke Gray (North Hampton, N.H.) capped the scoring.

Nichols (1-6, 0-4 NEFC) hosts Maine Maritime next Saturday, October 25, at noon. The Engineers host Western New England Oct. 25 at 5 p.m.