September 25, 2010
Union defeats Rochester, 16-14
Box
Score
SCHENECTADY, NY -- Senior kicker/punter Blaise
Ancona made three field goals and
running
back Chris Coney eclipsed the 3,000 yard career rushing mark to
lead Union College to a 16-14 victory over the University of
Rochester in Liberty League action at Frank Bailey Field Saturday
night.
Ancona made
a 41 yard field goal with 3:51 remaining for the eventual game
winner.
The
Dutchmen are now 1-0 in league play and 1-1 overall while the
Yellowjackets fell to 0-1 in the league and 0-3
overall.
Coney ran
for 157 yards on 33 carries and senior wide receiver Justin
Gallo had 113 yards on seven catches. Junior quarterback
Drew
Connolly passed for 189 yards (11 for 29) with a
touchdown and senior defensive back Josh
Angoff had nine tackles for the Dutchmen. Steve
Modliszewski made eight stops for the hosts.
Coney entered the game needing 48 yards to become the fourth Union runner to get 3,000 career yards. He now has 3,109, and joined Tom Arcidiacono '06 (the all-time leader with 4,915), George Beebe '02(3,615) and Chris Irving '94 (3,408).
Coney entered the game needing 48 yards to become the fourth Union runner to get 3,000 career yards. He now has 3,109, and joined Tom Arcidiacono '06 (the all-time leader with 4,915), George Beebe '02(3,615) and Chris Irving '94 (3,408).
Rochester was led by junior running back Byron Saggese, who
had 74 yards on 18 carries. Senior quarterback Patrick Keegan was
21 for 43 with two interceptions for 225 yards. Receivers Tony
Messana (8 catches for 67 yards) and Thomas Norman (6 for 90) were
the top targets. Defensively, the Yellowjackets featured strong
performances from sophomore linebacker Brendan Pidgeon (game high
12 tackles) and freshman linebacker Tony Ortega (11 tackles).
Union held
Rochester to 85 net yards rushing and had 180 yards rushing. The
Dutchmen posted 369 yards in total offense while the Yellowjackets
finished with 310 total yards.
Trailing
14-13 with 9:07 left in the third period, the Dutchmen took over at
the Rochester 45. Coney carried four straight times for 23 yards
and four plays later, Ancona nailed the 41 yarder, a career best,
with 5:16 left for the 16-14 lead. It was his third of the day, and
the pre-season All-American punter had not had any field goal
attempts in his career entering the game. The drive took eight
plays and 21 yards in 3:56.
Rochester opened the scoring when Chris Bickford ran from
two yards out with 9:10 left in the first quarter. Saggese had 26
yards rushing during the five play, 37 yard drive that consumed
just 1:55. Union tied it at 7-7 with 6:22 left in the first period.
Connolly found Connor
Gallo behind the coverage for a 51 yard touchdown strike
on a first down play.
The
Dutchmen later took over with 4:41 left in the period from their
own 10 yard line, and began an eventual scoring drive that took 12
plays and the 90 yards in 5:32. Ancona hit a 24 yard field goal
just 45 seconds into the second quarter, his first career three
point boot, for the 10-7 lead. On a third and 10 from the Rochester
20, a Yellowjacket pass was intercepted by Union's Anthony
Cassese at the Rochester 48 and the Dutchmen began an
ensuing drive from the Rochester 47 with 9:42 left in the half. But
the Yellowjacket defense forced a four-and-out.
Ancona's 33 yard field goal with 1:33 left in the
first half provided the 13-7 Union advantage. The drive, which took
six plays and 53 yards in 1:53, featured a 40 yard completion from
Connelly to Justin
Gallo. But The Yellowjackets regained the lead on the
ensuing drive. Marching 69 yards on seven plays in 1:22. Bickford
had another two yard scoring rush with 30 seconds left in the half
for the 14-13 lead.
JP Sticco
intercepted a Keegan pass at the Rochester 45 with 11:05 remaining
in the third quarter, but the Yellowjackets forced another
four-and-out and held onto the lead until the eventual game winning
drive that started with 9:07 left in the third.
Union held
the ball for 10:14 in the fourth quarter in protecting the
lead.
The
Dutchmen defeated Rochester for the 18th time in the
last 20 meetings, and the 50th time in 101 all time
meetings. But this was the fifth straight game decided by seven or
less points.
Union plays
at WPI on October 2, while Rochester hosts RPI on October
2.
