The Washington University in St. Louis football team notched its third consecutive victory with a 13-6 win over Case Western Reserve University on Saturday afternoon at Francis Field.
Washington University improves to 5-3, 2-0 in the University Athletic Association (UAA) with the win, while Case Western Reserve falls to 3-4, 0-2 in the UAA. The win sets up a match-up at home on Sat., Oct. 28 at Noon against Carnegie Mellon University for the UAA championship.
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“Coming out and scoring in the first quarter was the difference in the ball game,” said 18 th year head coach Larry Kindbom . “It was a great win for our program. Case Western Reserve is a scrappy team, and they did an outstanding job coming back on us.”
The defense was the story in the first half as WU forced three turnovers and allowed just 18 yards of total offense. Washington U., which entered the game ranked eighth in Division III in rushing defense (44.7 ypg), allowed -12 yards rushing in the first half.
Senior DaRonne Jenkins capped a 13-play, 56-yard drive with a two-yard run to put the Bears up 7-0 with 5:02 left in the first quarter. Washington U., who had scored just one touchdown in the first quarter all season, scored again in the opening quarter after senior offensive lineman Matt Keleshian recovered a fumble in the end zone to give WU the 13-0 lead.
“It feels good to get the win today,” said Keleshian, who had two fumble recoveries in the victory. “I saw the ball loose so I just dove on it in the end zone.”
Washington University had a 116-18 advantage in total offense in the opening half, including 73 rushing yards. Jenkins ran for 45 yards on 14 carries in the opening half of play.
Case Western Reserve capitalized on a fumble by Jenkins on his own 30-yard line to setup their only score of the game. Quarterback Dan Whalen connected with Joe Brenner on an 18-yard touchdown strike to trim the lead to 13-6. The extra point was wide left by kicker Brian Calderone.
The Spartans drove 62 yards on 13 plays to the Bears nine-yard line on their next possession, but senior John Grit picked off Whalen at the goal line to stall the drive. The Spartans had one last chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but WU’s defense forced a turnover on downs on their own 23-yard line.
Washington University’s defense held Case Western to 194 yards of total offense, the fourth-consecutive opponent to be held under 200 yards. The Bears also held their opponent under 100 yards rushing for the seventh time this season (66 yards-37 carries).
“The defense is playing hard with a lot of players,” Kindbom said. “We have a bunch of people who have been hurt, but our guys are stepping up and playing hard the entire game.”
Senior quarterback Pat McCarthy was 10-of-17 for 52 yards and one interception, while Jenkins ran for 48 yards on 16 carries. The Bears offense had a season-low 142 yards of total offense in the victory, including 26 in the second half.
Senior Drew Wethington led the Bears’ defensive unit with seven tackles (six solo) and 3.5 tackles for loss. He also had three sacks and a forced fumble in the win. Wethington increased his season total tackles for loss to 16.5, and upped his Division III leading average to 2.75. Grit and junior Michael Elliott also notched a team-leading seven tackles.