SCHENECTADY, NY – Stephen Speidel rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown to lead Springfield College to a 42-35 Liberty League football victory over Union College at Frank Bailey Field Saturday afternoon. The Pride now stands 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the league while the Dutchmen fell to 0-4 and stand 0-2 in league play.
The Dutchmen took over on their own 31 with 1:09 left looking to tie.Blake Geller completed three straight passes for 36 yards and after a pass to stop the clock, found Andrew Baker for 14 yards. On a fourth and 10 from the Springfield 25 yard line, max Nacewicz sacked the Union quarterback as time ran out.
The Pride finished with 521 yards in offense while the hosts had 437. Springfield, ranked second in NCAA Division III in rushing, had 379 yards on the ground. Quarterback Jonathan Marrero was three for six for 142 yards and two touchdowns and Andrews martin had a 77 yard reception for a TD. Kenny Calje made 12 tackles with 1.5 for losses and Danny Macalena and Nacewicz had 10 each.
Union wide receiver Andrew Baker had a career high 135 yards receiving with two touchdowns, and Darnel Thomas led the ground game with 65 yards. Connor Eck was 17 for 39 with four touchdowns and Geller came in after Eck was injured and was six for 15 for 83 yards and a TD. Jake LaRovera led the Dutchmen with 12 tackles and Julian Gendelsand Thomas Hayes made 11 sopts each. Gendels and Hayes had 2.5 tackles each.
The second half featured only 15 total points after a wild first half that produced a 34-28 Springfield lead. Speidel opened the scoring with the first play for their offense, with a 66 yard touchdown run 4:16 into the game. The Pride made it 14-0 with 1:11 remaining in the first quarter. Drew Brown rushed in from eight yards out to cap a seven play, 42 yard drive that took 3:06.
Union got on the board 2:10 into the second quarter in a drive that started late in the first quarter. Eck found Dylas Schuck for a 29 yard scoring strike to pull the Dutchmen to within seven. Union tied it just 2:49 later. On the second play of a drive, Eck hit Baker for 61 yards as the Dutchmen tied it after a two play, 61 yard drive in just 1:02. But on the next play after the kickoff, the Pride took the lead back at 21-14 as Martin raced 77 yards on a catch from Marrero with 9:43 left in the half. Marrero rushed in from 37 yards out with 7:29 left for a 28-14 lead, on a two play, 54 yard 36 second drive.
Back came Union as Eck hit Nick Reali for a five yard passing touchdown to cap a four play, 19 yard drive in 1:32 that made it 28-21 with 1:51 left in the second quarter. Springfield went two plays on the next drive in 24 seconds and Blake Joppy caught a 48 yard touchdown from Marrero with 1:28 left in the second, but the kick missed and it was 34-21. Union then went 10 plays and 72 yards in 1:15 as Baker caught a 10 yard TD pass from Eck with 13 seconds left in the half. The first half had a 34-28 Springfield lead and the teams had combined for 663 yards in offense.
After the high powered first half, the teams kept each other scoreless in the third quarter. Union's first drive of the quarter featured 12 plays and 60 yards but ended at the Springfield 20 on a fourth and five as Eck caught his own pass off a Pride defender and gained one yard.
Joppy had a six yard run to complete a nine play, 63 yard drive in 5:04 with 8:52 remaining in the fourth. Springfield converted a two point pass play to get it to 42-28. Off the ensuing kickoff, the Dutchmen marched 69 yards on a seven play, 1:58 drive. Geller, who came in on the fourth play of the drive, had a 14 yard touchdown pass to Reynolds on a third-and-eight to make it a seven point game.
Springfield has another Liberty League road game next week as the Pride will play at Hobart. Union continues the league schedule with a road game at WPI Saturday at 1 p.m.
Springfield holds on in shootout win over Union, 42-35
/seasons/2014/boxscores/20141004_ok4o.xml
2014
Springfield
42
Union
35
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield (4-1) | 14 | 20 | 0 | 8 | 42 |
| Union (0-4) | 0 | 28 | 0 | 7 | 35 |
Oct 04, 2014