Matt Milano tied a career-high throwing four touchdown passes, including three in the first half to Matthew Minno, leading visiting Middlebury to a 27-7 victory over Trinity in NESCAC football action Saturday on Jessee/Miller Field. Trinity (5-1) lost for the first time at home since September 29, 2001, a span of 53 games. Middlebury (4-2), who downed the Bantams for the second year in a row and for the first time on the road since a 20-3 triumph in 2000, stays on the road for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff next Saturday at Hamilton.

On the opening drive, Middlebury moved the ball down to the Trinity four-yard line, but the Bantam defense held the Panthers for no gain on three successive plays to force a field goal try. The snap was botched, and Trinity's Lyle Baker stopped Middlebury kicker Michael Dola at the three-yard line to give Trinity possession.

Later in the first quarter, Trinity's Spencer Donahue picked off a Milano pass down the middle that had been tipped by Patrick Dorsey, but Middlebury's Addison Pierce and Dan Pierce posted a sack and a tackle for loss respectively on the next two plays to help force a punt. 

Middlebury completed a 13-play, 91-yard drive following a booming 62-yard punt by Trinity's Kyle Pulek for the game's first touchdown when Milano connected with Minno on a 28-yard scoring pass. Later in the second, Trinity answered with a drive from its own 23-yard line to the Panther five. The drive was highlighted by a 19-yard run up the gut by Chudi Iregbulem and a 23-yard strike on 3rd-and-7 from quarterback Henry Foye to wide receiver Darrien Myers. However, D. Pierce intercepted a Foye pass and returned it 71 yards into Bantam territory.

Following the turnover, Milano found Minno from four yards away just four plays later for another Middlebury score, but a failed PAT kept the score 13-0. 

After punting the ball away on its next possession, the Trinity defense came up big when Baker forced a fumble by Drew Jacobs and pounced on the loose ball at the Middlebury 36-yard line. The Panthers returned the favor as Iregbulem was stopped for a two-yard loss on 3rd-and-5 by Gil Araujo and Tim Patricia, and Trinity's pass on fourth down fell incomplete.

In the final minute of the opening half, the Bantams fell just short of getting on the scoreboard after three completions from Foye to wideout Chris Ragone, but Ian Dugger was tackled after a reception at the Panther 20-yard line and time expired.

Out of the halftime break, the early moments of the second stanza saw two key special teams' plays keep the momentum squarely in the visitors' favor. Middlebury opened the third quarter with a successful onside kick, and quickly capitalized just over 40 seconds later when Milano found Minno for a 24-yard touchdown pass.

On the ensuing Trinity drive, Michael Budness was stopped a yard shy of a first down on a fake punt. Later in the third frame, Trinity drove to the Panther three-yard line, but the Panthers stopped Iregbulem for no gain on 4th-and-2 and regained possession.

The Bantams finally got on the board with 1:10 remaining in the third quarter, taking advantage of a short Middlebury punt from its own end zone. Foye connected with Nick Gaynor for a 33-yard scoring pass. Trinity's comeback hopes ended when D. Pierce picked off backup quarterback Spencer Aukamp, who entered the game when Foye left after a Middlebury sack on an earlier drive. Pierce caught the errant pass in the middle of the field, and returned it eight yards up the sideline. The visitors took advantage of the turnover with a 26-yard pass to the end zone from Milano to wideout Brendan Rankowitz with 6:07 remaining in the contest.

For the game, Milano went 25-36 through the air for 286 yards and his four touchdown tosses. Ryan Rizzo had nine catches for 79 yards, Minno caught five balls for a game-high 90 yards and three scores, while Rankowitz ended his day with five catches for 75 yards and Milano's fourth scoring pass. On the ground, Jacobs totaled 64 rushing yards on 17 carries. 

Foye finished 16-for-30 for 196 yards, while Myers led the Trinity receivers with 86 yards on eight catches. Ragone added seven grabs for 64 yards, while Iregbulem paced the Trinity runners with 69 yards on 20 carries.

Pacing the Panthers defensively was D. Pierce with 12 tackles including 1.5 TFLs along with two picks, while A. Pierce recorded six tackles and a sack. Jake Clapp had a team-best two sacks, while Nate Leedy and Patricia each had six stops, respectively. Dola punted the ball eight times with a 35.4 average, including one inside the 20.

Trinity's defense was led by Frank Leyva, who totaled a team-high nine tackles, while Baker had eight tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Tom Szymanksi contributed six hits and two pass breakups, and Donahue added six tackles in addition to his interception. Pulek averaged 45.8 yards on eight Trinity punts.

For the game, Middlebury owned a 31:03-28:57 advantage in the time of possession battle, and limited the Bantams to just 85 yards rushing on 38 attempts, well below their season average.

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