TROY, NY — The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) football team opened up their Liberty League season Saturday afternoon, with a tough 20-14 loss to the still undefeated St. Lawrence University (SLU) Saints.
Going into this one, the SLU defense had not allowed a single point, outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 118-0. In just 3 minutes and 19 seconds, RPI Quarterback ED Trimpert changed all that. The Sophomore from Hillsborough, NJ punched one in from 2 yards, making it a 7-0 game after the extra point.
Minutes later, SLU’s James Holley-Grisham picked off the Rensselaer offense and on the ensuing drive, scored off an 11-yard pass from Sean Richardson, tying the game at 7-7.
SLU would add another 7 before the half, making it 14-7 at the break.
After a scoreless third quarter, Daley Hebert delivered a pair of successful field goals, increasing the SLU lead to 13 (20-7) with only 5:18 remaining.
With the clock down to 3:42, Keaton Ackermann made things interesting when he converted off a 60 yard pass from Trimpert, bringing RPI just one touchdown away from glory.
After a botched “surprise onside kick,” it was running the clock down fully that gave SLU the final glory.
“All of our goals are right in front of us, we just need a little help accomplishing some of them,” said Rensselaer head coach Ralph Isernia. “win a game, lose a game, it’s only one game,” Isernia went on to say.
The Engineers play on the road next Saturday, Oct. 1, for a 12:00p.m. date with the University of Rochester Yellowjackets.
