Teams: Football: Press Releases

GAME-TYING AND WINNING FIELD GOALS EARN AUERBACH NESCAC SPECIAL TEAMS AWARD

MEDFORD -- Two clutch field goals by sophomore kicker Adam Auerbach (Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) helped the Tufts University football team earn a 25-22 come-from-behind victory in overtime against Bowdoin College on Saturday afternoon. He is this week's New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Special Teams Player of the Week.

With Tufts trailing 22-19 late in the fourth, the Jumbo defense forced a Bowdoin punt. The offense took over at their own 28-yard line with 2:43 on the clock. Tufts moved the ball to the Bowdon 20, but three incomplete passes made it fourth and 10. After time-outs by both teams - Bowdoin's intended to ice Auerbach - he booted a 37-yard field goal high and straight to tie the game at 22-22. Sophomore Pat Cassidy (New Fairfield, CT) made the snap and junior Billy Mahler (Milwaukee, MA) held. Bowdoin took a knee after the ensuing kickoff and the game went to overtime.

In the extra period, the visiting Polar Bears won the toss and took the ball first. They missed a 28-yard field goal wide left. On the Jumbos' turn, the offense showed its confidence in Auerbach with conservative running plays to the 19-yard line. On a nearly identical play - including a Bowdon time-out to let Auerbach think about the kick a little more - and after Cassidy and Mahler filled their roles, Auerbach booted a 35-yard field goal with plenty of distance to win the game on Homecoming Day at Tufts.

The game-winning field goal was the first at Tufts since Nate Herpich booted a 29-yard kick at home against Middlebury in the final game of the 1997 season 12 years ago for a 17-15 win. Auerbach's kick also gave Tufts its first overtime win since October 25, 2003 at Amherst. He is four for four from 30-39 yards this season.

"I was actually at the game on Saturday, my first time back to watch a game since 1999," Herpich wrote when contacted by email. "It was a great game. It's always nice to see a kicker hit clutch kicks. He was money."

The Jumbos have won two in a row and are 2-1 overall for '09.

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