Tartans Drop Heartbreaker to Ohio Wesleyan

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team entertained Ohio Wesleyan University on Saturday, October 20, as the Tartans dropped a 34-26 decision.  The loss now puts the Tartans' record at 5-2 heading into University Athletic Association (UAA) play.  The Battling Bishops remain perfect on the season at 7-0.

On Carnegie Mellon's second possession of the game, junior quarterback Rob Kalkstein (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) found junior tight end Bryce Pardoe (Muncy, Pa./East Lycoming) for a 2-yard touchdown strike on third-and-goal.   Freshman place kicker Connor Young's (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) converted point-after attempt gave the Tartans the early 7-0 lead with 5:09 to play in the first quarter.
 
On Ohio Wesleyan's next offensive play, junior linebacker Akwasi Brefo (Lawrenceville, Ga./Central Gwinette) stripped the ball away from Steven Uhler at the Battling Bishops' 30-yard line and junior defensive lineman Ryan Jok (Novi, Mich.) recovered and returned the ball to the Ohio Wesleyan 26-yard line.  Three plays later, junior running back Zachary Erra-Hernandez (Las Cruces, N.M./Onate) scored on a 3-yard plunge.  After a missed point-after attempt, the Tartans held a 13-0 advantage.

The Battling Bishops wasted little time responding to their mishap, as they drove 60 yards on eight plays, cutting the deficit to 13-7.  Junior quarterback Mason Espinosa found sophomore Calvin Cagney on a 5-yard touchdown pass with a minute remaining in the first quarter.  

After forcing the Tartans to punt, Ohio Wesleyan marched 76 yards on 10 plays to take a 14-13 lead.  This time Espinosa found Uhler on third-and-goal for an 8-yard touchdown with 10:41 to play in the half.

The visitors extended their lead in the closing seconds of the half when sophomore place kicker Miles MacKenzie split the uprights from 32 yards away.  Ohio Wesleyan led 17-13 at the break.

Erra-Hernandez gave the Tartans the lead back with 11:54 to play in the fourth quarter.  The junior's 1-yard run and the ensuing extra point gave Carnegie Mellon a 20-17 lead.  The Tartans forced another turnover on the next possession, as senior Liam McGrath (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) intercepted Espinosa and returned it 34 yards for the Tartans' touchdown.  The point-after attempt hit off the right post and the Tartans led 26-17.

Just like the first half, the Battling Bishops responded to the turnover with a scoring drive, cutting the lead to 26-20 on a MacKenzie 24-yard field goal with 8:55 to play.

After Ohio Wesleyan held the Tartans to a three-and-out, the Battling Bishops needed just three plays to regain the lead.   Espinosa tossed his third touchdown of the game and second to Cagney, as the tandem struck from five yards out to give the visitors a 27-26 edge with 6:58 to play.

Espinosa and Cagney hooked up for yet another score a few minutes later to push the lead to 34-26 on a 40-yard catch and run with 3:30 to play.

Ohio Wesleyan totaled 448 yards with 415 coming from the arm of Espinosa, as he finished 43-of-65 and had four touchdowns.  Cagney led all receivers with 16 catches for 151 yards and three scores while Nick Ziegenbusch hauled in 10 passes for 73 yards for the Battling Bishops.  The Tartans ended the game with 334 yards of total offense.   Junior running back Michael Trentalange (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Lower Moreland) led the Tartans with a career-high 93 yards on 14 carries.  Erra-Hernandez finished with 75 yards rushing and two scores while Kalkstein completed 17-of-30 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown.

Brefo led the Tartans fort the fourth time this season with 10 tackles, six solo. McGrath and junior safety Jack Butler (Kennesaw, Ga./North Cobb) each totaled eight tackles with six of McGrath's being solo.

McGrath also recorded two interceptions giving him six on the season tying tie for third in Carnegie Mellon history for single-season interceptions.  The record is seven set by senior cornerback Sam Thompson (Alcoa, Tenn.) last season and  Andy Helms in 1991.

The Tartans will head west to play Washington University on Saturday, October 27 at 12:00 p.m. CT.  The contest will mark the first UAA game for both teams.