Football Suffers Heartbreaking Defeat in Opening Round of NCAA Tournament at Ithaca
Ithaca, N.Y. – The Framingham State University football team suffered a heartbreaking 20-17 loss this afternoon as Ithaca College scored the winning touchdown with 3:32 left in the fourth quarter in an opening round game of the 2013 NCAA Division III Football Championship.
The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Champion Rams, making their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance, close the 2013 season at 9-2, while Ithaca, also 9-2, advances to a second round game next Saturday against the winner of the John Hopkins/Wesley opening round game.
Framingham State University senior running back Melikke Van Alstyne (Salem, Mass.) rushed for 120 yards on 29 carries with a touchdown and became the Division III New England All-Time rushing leader on four yard carry in the second quarter. Van Alstyne finishes his career with 6,145 rushing yards which places him ahead of Maine Maritime's Steve Tardif who accumulated 6,093 yards from 1996-1999. Van Alstyne's 408 career points place him fourth on the Division III New England scoring leaders list.
The Framingham State University defense forced a Bomber turnover on the first possession of the game. Senior Kevin Donahue (Norfolk, Mass.) stripped senior Rakim Jones and junior Lewis Bailey (Chelmsford, Mass.) covered up the loose ball giving the Rams the ball in Ithaca territory.
The Rams took advantage of the take away to grab the early lead. The Rams went 42 yards on 11 plays including a fourth down reception by junior George Jordan (Worcester, Mass.) on a 4th and two. A 16-yard reception from sophomore Matt Silva (Dracut, Mass.) to junior Tremayne Crumbley Stamford, Conn.) gave the Rams a 1st and goal inside the 10. After a two yard gain by Van Alstyne and a pair of incompletions, senior Will Menter (Haverhill, Mass.) came on and nailed a 25-yard field goal putting the Rams up 3-0 with 8:56 left in the first.
On the ensuing Bomber possession, the Rams defense forced a three and out, but a fumble on the 4th down punt was recovered at the Rams seven yard line by the Bombers. The Rams defense once again came up with three straight stops including a tackle for a three yard loss by Donahue, but junior Garrett Nicholson knocked through a 25-yard field goal tying the game at 3-3.
The Rams answered with an 11 play, 75 yard drive featuring 37 yards on the ground by Van Alstyne and capped by an 11 yard touchdown toss from Silva to Jordan in the corner of the end zone to retake the lead 11 seconds left in the first.
Junior punter Phil Clain (Swampscott, Mass.) pinned the Bombers deep in their own territory with 6:49 remaining in the second and the Rams defense came through with another turnover. Senior Michael Altavesta (Tewksbury, Mass.) intercepted junior Tom Dempsey on Ithaca's 47-yard line and returned it 28 yards to the Ithaca 19 setting up the Rams second touchdown of the game.
Van Alstyne rushed for 18 yards on a pair of carries around an incompletion from Silva setting the Rams up with 4th and goal from one. The Rams took a timeout with 6.3 seconds left in the first and chose to keep their offense on the field. The snap went directly to Van Alstyne who scampered in from a yard out giving the Rams at 17-3 lead at the half.
The Rams defense held the Bombers to just 55 yards of offense in the first half with a pair of turnovers which they converted into 10 points, while the Rams accumulated 187 yards including 104 on the ground in the first half.
The second half belonged to the Bombers as they held the Rams offense to just 105 yards and kept them off the scoreboard, while their own offense was able to put up 17 unanswered points.
A short punt by the Rams gave Ithaca possession on the Rams 38-yard line with 6:52 left in the third quarter. Dempsey completed a 17 yard pass down the middle to senior Jared Pruger on a 4th and five from the 33 yard line. Senior Matt Mangano (Winchester, Mass.) forced a fumble for the Rams as Pruger was going to the ground but the Bombers were able to recover the ball. On the next play Dempsey hit Prugar for a 16-yard scoring cutting the Rams lead to 17-10 with 5:52 left in the third.
The Bombers tacked on a 36 yard field goal with 12:43 left in the fourth to cut the Rams lead to 17-13.
The Rams turned the ball over on downs on the ensuing possession giving the Bombers possession on their own 32-yard line with 8:55 remaining. Dempsey completed a 19 yard pass to Prugar on the first play and a personal foul penalty on the Rams moved the ball to the Framingham 34 yard line. The Bombers moved the ball down to the field and had a first and goal from the three yard line. The Rams stopped Jones for a seven yard loss on first down and after an incompletion faced a 3rd and goal from the 10. Dempsey floated a pass to the end zone to junior Vito Boffoli who made the catch and came down on the sideline, but was ruled inbounds for the touchdown. After the extra point, the Bombers had their first lead of the game 20-17 with 3:32 left.
The Rams had two final drives to try and tie the game, but turned the ball over on downs and Silva was intercepted on the final play of the game to secure the victory for Ithaca.
The Rams defense was led by eight tackles, including six solo, 1.5 for a loss and a forced fumble from Donahue, while seniors Jeff Touron (Brockton, Mass.) and Pat McGrath (Everett, Mass.) chipped in with seven apiece. Touron and junior Olajuwon Dickerson (Milton, Mass.) picked up 3.5 tackles for a loss apiece in the game.