MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Cardinal defense forced four turnovers, Dylan Connors '26 blocked a punt and returned the loose ball for a touchdown, Matt Fitzsimons '27 threw two touchdowns and ran in another, and the 6,000+ who descended on Andrus Field played their part in a 31-21 Wesleyan football win over Amherst on Saturday.
 
Coming off a tough home defeat to Bowdoin last week, the Cardinals leaned on their defense against the Mammoths who were held in-check all throughout this contest. Amherst, who came in averaging 125 rushing yards per game, was held to a season-low 33 yards on 20 carries. Amherst sophomore QB Marek Hill, who had thrown for 300+ yards in back-to-back games, was intercepted three times on Saturday while he threw for just 228 yards on 43 attempts.
 
Special teams loomed large in the outcome as Amherst fumbled on a punt return, sailed a punt snap out of bounds in the end zone for a safety, and later saw Connors break through the line for a punt block followed by a scoop and score. Chris Aykurt '28 recovered the fumble in the second quarter that set up the Cardinals on a short field which Wesleyan cashed in for the opening touchdown. The safety broke up a run of Amherst touchdowns in the second quarter while the block and return TD from Connors spotted Wesleyan a 10-point lead that they wouldn't relinquish for the remainder of play.
 
On a picturesque fall afternoon, Wesleyan dominated possession in the first quarter, running 18 plays on offense compared to just three for Amherst. Despite holding the ball for over 13 minutes of play, the Cardinals couldn't produce any points until early in the second quarter when junior QB Matt Fitzsimons lofted a ball for WR Blake Newcomb '27 on the near side for the opening score less than two minutes into the second quarter.
 
Amherst responded with a six-play, 75-yard drive featuring a 50-yard pass from Hill to Christian Moore followed by a 3-yard run from Carter Jung on a jet sweep to the score at 7-7.

Wesleyan took over at their own 12-yard line and kept their offense on the field for a 4^th-and-1 play from their own 21-yard line. Amherst initially called timeout to set up their defense and despite a few Mammoth lineman flinching at the line of scrimmage on a Fitzsimons hard count, no flag was thrown and a pass to WR Sam Wien '28 at the near sideline landed incomplete.
 
On the very next play from scrimmage, Hill hit Jung on a slant round for a 21-yard TD as suddenly the Mammoths led 14-7.
 
Following a three-and-out from each offense, Amherst committed another miscue on special teams as a snap on a punt went over the head of Efe Ilgar and rolled out through the end zone out of bounds to give Wesleyan a safety.
 
That momentum-flipping play continued to pay dividends as the Cardinals had a short field to work with following the safety. Taking over at their own 44-yard line, Fitzsimons completed a 43-yard bomb down the field to Newcomb. Then on 3^rd-and-1 from the 4-yard line, Fitzsimons took it himself and barreled through the goal line for a rushing score. Choosing to go for a two-point conversion, Fitzsimons lofted a fade route to Newcomb in the far left corner and the junior wideout hauled in the conversion to make it 17-14 Cardinals.
 
On the ensuing Amherst drive, Hill was picked off by sophomore cornerback Jack Bronikowski '28 but Fitzsimons was later intercepted by Kevin Agnew who returned the miscue 61 yards for a go-ahead score, making it 21-17 Amherst at the half.
 
Following a three-and-out from each team to start the third quarter, Hill was intercepted again, this time by senior safety Mike Solimando '26, setting up the Cardinal offense at the Amherst 24-yard line. Just one play later, Fitzsimons spotted TE Jake Saalfrank '29 open on the right sideline who crossed the goal line untouched.
 
Connors then came up with the play of the game as the Cardinal defense forced another three-and-out and on the punt attempt, Connors broke through the line and blocked Ilgar. The loose ball was picked up by Connors at the 11-yard line and he did the rest, scoring on special teams to hand the Cardinals a 31-21 lead with 7:54 left in the quarter.
 
Amherst crossed midfield late in the third quarter on their next drive but two straight incompletions and a Corin Canada-Hunt '26 sack halted that Mammoths drive.
 
Wesleyan's defense continued to shine all throughout the fourth quarter, forcing a pair of turnover on downs and an Amherst punt, as the Cardinals kept hold of the 10-point lead up until the final whistle.
 
The Cardinals scored 24 of their 31 points off turnovers, as big plays from the defense and special teams unit lifted Wesleyan to a fourth straight win over Amherst. This marks the first time since 1990-93 that the Cardinals have defeated the Mammoths in four straight meetings.
 
 Fitzsimons finished 15-for-25 for 188 yards and 2 TD while he scored another on the ground. Tyler Flynn '26 carried 11 times for 30 yards to lead the rushing attack. Newcomb was the top pass catcher, finishing with seven catches for 108 yards and 1 TD to go along with a two-point conversion.
 
Solimando recorded his first career interception while Bronikowski has 2 INTs on the year and Morris is tied for the NESCAC lead with three this season.
 
Connors made a major impact in this one, finishing with six tackles, one tackle for loss, two pass breakups, and the punt block and return TD.
 
Wesleyan's defense held Amherst to a 4-for-14 showing on third down while the Mammoths went 0-for-2 on fourth down.
 
The Cardinals head back on the road in Week 8 as Wesleyan takes on Williams on Saturday at 1 PM from Williamstown.