Defiance Rushes for Over 200 Yards in Loss to Rose-Hulman

TERRE HAUTE, IND.  --  The Defiance College football team rushed for a season-best 233 yards against Rose-Hulman (Ind.) Institute of Technology, but would come out on the losing end of a 42-7 decision against the Fightin' Engineers in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game in Terre Haute, Ind.

The Yellow Jackets had three players rush for 50 or more yards with junior Cody Wilson (McComb) leading the way with 68 yards on seven carries and scored the team's only touchdown on a 32-yard run.  Freshman quarterback Andre Adderly (West Palm Beach, Fla./Village Academy) had 57 yards on the ground in 12 attempts and sophomore running back Anthony Righi (Liberty Center) had 55 yards on 18 attempts.  Cody Wilson was also the team's leading receiver with two catches for 11 yards.

For the second straight week, junior Keandre Gilmer (Toledo/Rogers) led the DC defense with a game-tying high eight tackles (five solo and three assists), including a tackle for loss.

Rose-Hulman (6-0, 4-0 HCAC) scored a touchdown on its first six possessions of the first half, beginning with its first score of the game coming on a one-yard TD run at the 13:16 minute mark of the opening quarter.  The score was set up by a fumble recovery by the Engineer defense at the Jacket 33-yard line and a 32-yard pass play to grab the early 7-0 lead.  RHIT went on to find the endzone two more times in the quarter on scoring plays of a five-yard TD pass and a 20-yard scamper to lead 21-0 after the first 15 minutes of play.

On a drive that began at the end of the first quarter, the Engineers struck paydirt early in the second stanza on a three-yard run to extend the margin to 28-0 with 14:28 to go in the half.  On Defiance's (1-5, 1-3 HCAC) ensuing possession, the Engineer defense caused a pair of fumbles during the drive with the first one being recovered by the DC offense, but the second was picked up by RHIT and returned 37 yards for the fifth Engineer TD of the day, making the score 35-0.  The final TD of the half for RHIT came on a five-yard completion with 4:36 remaining to take a commanding 42-0 advantage.  The Yellow Jackets had two final possessions to end the half, but could not put any points on the board and trailed, 42-0, at the intermission.

Following a scoreless third quarter, Defiance ended the possible shutout with a score at the 2:56 mark of the fourth quarter when Cody Wilson rattled off a 32-yard run to find the endzone and make the score 42-7.  But the points would come a bit too late as the Engineers cruised to the 42-7 victory.

Despite averaging over 500 yards of offense per game heading into today, the DC defense held RHIT to 342 total yards, including a season-low 145 yards rushing.  The Engineers were led by quarterback Austin Swenson who completed 13-of-18 passes for 186 yards and a pair of TD.  He was also the team's leading rusher with 43 yards on two carries.  Aaron Abbott led all receivers with four catches for 60 yards.  He also had two rushing TD with 23 yards on four attempts.  Defensively, RHIT was led by Mike Henry with eight tackles (four solo and four assists).

Defiance will look to get back on track when it hosts Earlham (Ind.) College next Saturday (Oct. 24) in a HCAC game at Justin F. Coressel Stadium on Homecoming.  The game is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.