MIT scores with 54 seconds left to defeat Coast Guard

New London — Ashton Robinson's 11-yard touchdown run with 54 seconds left lifted MIT to a 22-16 victory over Coast Guard Academy on Saturday in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic football game on Parents' Weekend.

It was a bitter defeat for the Bears (5-3, 2-3), who overcame a 16-3 deficit to tie the game with just 2 minutes, 43 seconds remaining, only to fumble a punt at their own 17 just 59 seconds later to set up Robinson's game-winning score.

It was Coast Guard's first loss fumble of the season.

Justin Moffatt became only the second receiver in Coast Guard history to surpass 2,000 receiving yards in his career with game-highs of seven receptions for 116 yards. He finished the day with 2,002 career yards, second all-time to Christian Lee's 2,356 from 1993-96.

Quarterback Ryan Jones completed 15 of 25 passes for 171 yards for the Bears while rushing for a team-high 66 yards.

The Engineers (4-2, 3-1), last year's NEWMAC champion, were led by quarterback Chris Mauck, who completed 14 of 23 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown while Robinson rushed for 78 yards on 23 carries and Keithen Shepard had six catches for 64 yards.

Mauck's 1-yard TD run with 11 seconds left in the third quarter gave MIT its 16-3 lead before the Bears rallied. Chris Gardner's 2-yard touchdown run with 13:06 left capped a five-play, 77-yard drive and cut the deficit to 16-9 (MIT's CJ Reilly blocked the extra point), the key play in the drive a 51-yard pass from Jones to Moffatt.

A 62-yard run by Jones set up the game-tying score, a 1-yard run by Jones (and Pat Crowley's extra point) on fourth and one with 2:43 to play.

Coast Guard's defense got a stop and it appeared the game would be heading into overtime before the fumbled punt set up MIT at the Bear 17 with 1:44 left. Robinson scored the game winner on 3rd and four (the PAT was missed).

The Bears moved the ball to the MIT 49 on Moffatt's 30-yard reception, but they eventually turned the ball over on downs with 11 seconds left.

Eugene Bizer led Coast Guard with a game-high 13 tackles.

The Bears have a bye next week before playing at WPI on Saturday, Nov. 9, at noon.