November 6, 2004 

HARTFORD, CT - Despite 133 rushing yards and the sixth touchdown of the season for senior tailback Fletcher Ladd (Amherst, NH), the Amherst College football team fell to 5-2 with its second straight loss on Saturday, a 31-7 setback at defending NESCAC Champion Trinity College (7-0), which remained undefeated with its 21st straight victory dating back to 2002. 

Amherst trailed 21-0 early in the second quarter after Trinity running back Drew Finkeldey, who finished with 145 rushing yards on 29 carries, pierced the end zone with his second touchdown of the opening half. Amherst rebounded with a six-play, 69-yard scoring drive on its next possession, capped by Ladd's 20-yard touchdown run. 

Trinity tacked on another touchdown in the third quarter and a field goal in the fourth to set the final score at 31-7. The Jeffs entered Trinity territory only twice in the second half with both drives stalling on failed fourth-down conversion attempts. 

Trinity, ranked first in New England and 25th in the nation, sacked Amherst five times and held the Jeffs to a season-low 217 yards of total offense and just 40 passing yards. Senior defensive end Michael Dendas paced the Bantams with 11 tackles, while junior end Michael Blair added six stops and a sack. 

Senior linebacker Mike Salvatore (Greenwich, CT) led Amherst with a game-high 15 tackles, while sophomore Brendan McKee (Hull, MA) added nine solo tackles and a forced fumble. Junior linebacker Justin Roemer (Jupiter, FL) pitched in with six tackles and a sack as well. 

Amherst's season finale against archrival Williams College, also known as The Biggest Little Game in America, will be televised live at noon on the New England Sports Network (NESN), DirecTV channel 623, Dish Net channel 434 or the following satellite coordinates: SBS-6 Transponder 6, Downlink Frequency-11847.5, Vertical Audio 6.2/6.8. 

BOX SCORE/PLAY-BY-PLAY