Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 24 Ithaca College football team dropped to 0-2 on the season as No. 16 Endicott College came away with a 13-7 victory at Butterfield Stadium on September 14. IC's offense was held to just 196 yards of offense and turned the ball over four times.
The first quarter was a battle to move into scoring position for both teams and Endicott received the initial chance as the Bombers muffed a punt at their own 27-yard line with just over five minutes to go. Ithaca came up with a huge 20-yard sack from Ty Boland on the ensuing drive to Endicott out of field goal range.
Ithaca had to punt again, and the Gulls pushed the ball down into the red zone, but the IC defense held tough and pushed Endicott back to the 17 to set up a 33-yard field goal attempt with under a minute to go.
The kick was blocked by Isaiah Couser and returned 47 yards by Jake Connolly to the Endicott 23-yard line to keep the game scoreless.
Ithaca would then take a 7-0 lead in the opening minute of the second quarter as Jalen Leonard-Osbourne scored on an 11-yard touchdown run.
Just over four minutes later, the Bombers turned the ball over on downs at the Endicott 31-yard. Endicott used that momentum, accompanied by a targeting penalty a few plays later, to move deep into IC territory and eventually tied the game at 7-7 on a 3-yard run with 7:00 remaining in the half.
Neither team could score the rest of the quarter as the half came to a close on an interception in the end zone for Endicott on a Hail Mary attempt from Colin Schumm.
Endicott received the second half kick and quickly took a 13-7 lead, which would be the final score of the game, on a 57-yard completion from Clayton Marengi to Kennedy Charles less than three minutes into the quarter. The PAT was blocked by Couser.
Ithaca had multiple chances to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but another interception inside the red zone with 11:44 remaining. With less than seven minutes to go, Ryan Burns forced a fumble and Connolly recovered at the Endicott 28-yard line, but IC turned the ball over on downs at the 8-yard line with 4:06 on the clock.
The Bombers had one final chance to win the game as Endicott turned the ball over at its own 31-yard line with less than two minutes to go, but Ithaca threw its third interception of the afternoon to end the game.
Leonard-Osbourne led the offense with 49 yards rushing and 24 yards receiving, to go along with a 28-yard kick return.
Burns paced the defense with nine total tackles, with one for a loss and the forced fumble. Connolly logged eight tackles and three for a loss, to go along with the fumble recovery and blocked field goal return.
Darren Brunner added seven tackles, while Danny Portas and Joe Spirra each had six tackles. Cam Paquette, Joshua Miles and Boland all finished with five tackles.
Brunner also averaged 43 yards on six punts, including a long of 59 yards.
Ithaca heads into a bye week and then travels to Curry College on September 28.