Sept. 29, 2007
Final Stats
WORCESTER, Mass. -- Yale tailback Mike McLeod rushed 40 times for 256 yards and five touchdowns, to lead the 22nd-ranked Bulldogs to a 38-17 victory over the Holy Cross football team at Fitton Field. Following the contest, McLeod received the Dr. Edward N. Anderson Award as the most valuable player of the Crusaders' Family Weekend game. Holy Cross falls to 2-2 overall on the season, while Yale improves to 3-0.
The Bulldogs opened the scoring with a 36-yard field goal by Alan Kimball at the 8:55-mark on the first quarter, after an interception gave Yale possession at the Holy Cross 21-yard line. Later in the quarter, McLeod scored on a three-yard run to make the score 10-0.
Early in the second quarter, senior cornerback Casey Gough (Hinsdale, Ill.) intercepted a pass and returned it 21 yards to the Yale 17-yard line, setting up a 40-yard field goal by junior placekicker Matt Partain (Libertyville, Ill.). McLeod then began to dominated the game, scoring on runs of one-yard, 23 yards and one yard to make the score 31-3 late in the second quarter. The Crusaders were able to cut the lead to 31-10 before halftime, marching 65 yards in just 51 seconds as junior quarterback Dominic Randolph (Amelia, Ohio) tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Brett McDermott (Mansfield, Mass.).
The only points of the third quarter came on McLeod's fifth touchdown of the day, a 23-yard run after the Bulldogs converted a fake punt, making the score 38-10. Holy Cross made the score 38-17 early in the fourth quarter on a two-yard run by junior tailback Mike Kielt (Southbury, Conn.). The Crusaders would threaten again a few minutes later after junior defensive back Daryl Brown (Stone Mountain, Ga.) blocked a punt, which he then recovered at the Yale 11-yard line. But Holy Cross was unable to convert on fourth-and-one, and the Bulldogs then held on for the victory.
Senior wide receiver Thomas Harrison (Wilmington, N.C.) led all receivers with eight catches for 93 yards, while Randolph completed 22 of 43 attempts for 230 yards and a score. Gough led the defense by recording six total tackles, two tackles for loss and an interception, while sophomore linebacker Marcus Rodriguez (Peoria, Ariz.) posted 11 tackles.
The Crusaders return to action next Saturday, Oct. 6, when they play travel to Brown for a 12:30 p.m. game.
