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For
Release: September 20, 2003
FOOTBALL
TEAM FALLS IN SEASON-OPENER
The
Middlebury College football team struggled
in its first game of the 2003 season as
they fell 26-7 at Wesleyan.
After
a scoreless first quarter at Wesleyan,
Middlebury went on a 14-play, 80-yard
drive to take a 7-0 lead with 4:16 left in
the half. Junior Mike Keenan (Rutland,
Vt.) completed four passes to senior Tom
Cleaver (Severna Park, Md.) on the drive,
including a 14-yard scoring strike.
Wesleyan fumbled the ensuing kickoff, but
Middlebury turned the ball back over to
the Cardinals with a fumble on their first
play from scrimmage. Late in the half,
Wesleyan scored on a 69-yard touchdown
pass with 1:25 left in the half. The kick
failed, leaving the Panthers with a 7-6
halftime lead.
Wesleyan
took its first lead of the game in the
third quarter with a touchdown after a
Middlebury interception left them on the
Panther's 33-yardline. The two-point
attempt failed, leaving the Cardinals with
a 12-7 lead as they headed into the fourth
quarter. Wesleyan increased the lead to
19-7 with a short touchdown run early in
the quarter and then scored again on its
next possession to take a 26-7 lead with
10:03 left in the contest. That would be
all the scoring, as Middlebury could not
get back into Wesleyan
territory.
Cleaver
ended the game with a career-best eight
catches and 137 yards on the day with a
touchdown. Keenan connected on 16 of 32
passes for 163 yards with a touchdown and
two interceptions. Senior Matt Wolf
(Weston, Mass.) led the Middlebury rushers
with 14 carries for 43 yards on the
afternoon. Senior Ernie Miller (Rensselaer
Falls, N.Y.) led the defense with 11
tackles, including two for lost yardage.
Senior Craig Pittman (Atlanta, Ga.) had an
interception on the day, while senior Tim
Collard (Wellesley, Mass.) and junior Phil
Reiff (Hinsdale, Ill.) each had a sack.
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