Written by Michael Douglas
Date: Tuesday, October 23, 2002

ROLLE SETS TUFTS RECORD WITH 49-yard field goal

MEDFORD -- Junior place kicker Marcellus Rolle (Smyrna, GA/Lovett) set a Tufts University football record with a 49-yard placement field goal in last Saturday's 36-28 home loss to Williams (Oct. 20). The kick shattered the 22-year-old mark of 47 yards set by Mark Litner against Williams in 1979.

Only three minutes into the second quarter and already trailing 21-7, the Jumbos needed to put points on the board but faced a fourth and 12 at the Williams 31-yard line. With a favorable wind blowing, Head Coach Bill Samko sent out his field goal team to attempt the 49-yarder. Rolle's kick was straight and true, and had just enough under it to clear the crossbar. The record-setting kick sparked a run of 15 unanswered points by the Jumbos, who eventually took a 22-21 lead two minutes into the third quarter.

In his first season as the Jumbos' primary kicker, Rolle has amassed 22 points on four field goals and 10 extra point kicks. He is second in scoring on the team to junior wideout Tim Mack (St. Louis, MO/Burroughs), who has caught four touchdown passes (24 points). He's tied for third in NESCAC in scoring by kickers with the 22 points. He's also converted on field goals of 22, 26 and 24 yards this season.

Rolle's field goal is the second-longest in school history overall. James "Red" Fitzgerald drop-kicked a 53-yard field goal in 1927.

After dominating their first three games of the season, the Jumbos have dropped two straight close contests, including last Saturday's heartbreaker to Williams. Tufts now stands third in the conference with a record of 3-2. They will travel to Amherst, Mass. to face the Amherst College Lord Jeffs (4-1) this Saturday.

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