Senior wide receiver Tom Gulyas shakes off an Oberlin defender on a screen en route to a 40-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. The score and the ensuing two-point conversion put the Bears up 21-7.

Special teams, according to senior defensive end Kyle Huber, played a huge role in the outcome. Beginning after Wash. U. forced an Oberlin punt on the game’s first possession, senior cornerback Brandon Brown returned the punt to the Yeomen 25-yard line, setting up senior quarterback Stephen Sherman’s first touchdown pass to senior halfback Sam Kentor.

“Anytime you play a close game like that, special teams can be a big momentum changer,” senior defensive end John Schneider said. “As a team, we really understand the importance of special teams, and it has shown in all our wins this year.”

The Yeomen drove to the Bears’ 20-yard line on their next possession. Schneider kept Oberlin off the scoreboard when he blocked his second consecutive 37-yard field goal in two games.

“[The blocked field goal] was a great momentum change at the beginning of the game that gave the entire team a boost,” Schneider said. “Blocked kicks don’t happen unless everyone on the defense is doing their job.”

On the ensuing drive, sophomore kicker Eric Chalifour connected on a career-long 48-yard field goal, four yards short of the school record, to extend the Bears’ lead to 10-0.

Facing a Yeomen offense averaging 368 yards and 28 points per game without junior linebacker and leading tackler Nick Hillard, players from all positions stepped up on defense. Huber recorded 11 tackles; senior defensive ends Greg Larson and Schneider combined for 13 total tackles, including 5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks; senior cornerbacks Brown and Nick Vom Brack combined for 11 total tackles and each broke up a pass.

“They had a very good offense,” Huber said. “I think a key aspect for us as a defense was to maintain each individual’s responsibility. We were able to spread those big plays between the four of us and make up for Hillard not being there.”

After Oberlin cut the lead to 13-7 in the fourth quarter, the special teams came through again. Oberlin surprised the Red and Green with an onside kick, but sophomore defensive back Brian Harrell leaped and made an acrobatic catch before suffering a punishing hit, giving the Bears possession at the Oberlin 43-yard line.

With momentum shifting and the Bears’ offense facing a third and 7 from the Oberlin 40-yard line, Sherman hit senior wide receiver Tom Gulyas on a bubble screen. Gulyas caught what looked like a short gain, broke three tackles, raced across the field and down the sideline for the touchdown.

“I got excited when I heard the play call because we had two screens before, and I didn’t get many yards, so I felt I needed to make up for those two,” Gulyas said. “It was especially great because I ended up running outside of where I was supposed to go, but the offensive line, wide receivers and even our quarterback busted their fannies [blocking] to give me a lane to the end zone.”

Freshman safety Scott O’Brien sealed the win with the first interception of his career with 1:34 remaining in the game.

Next Saturday, the Bears play Carnegie Mellon University at noon in their final home game of the season and first game of University Athletic Association conference play. The Tartans lost 27-21 in overtime on Saturday to No. 7 Wittenberg University, who defeated Wash. U. 37-7 earlier this year.