Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
The St. John Fisher College football program earned its fourth straight win and its second straight shutout, as the Cardinals came away with a 34-0 win at Ithaca College on Saturday.
With the win, Fisher improves to 5-3 overall and 4-2 in the Empire 8 Conference, while the Bombers fall to 4-4, 2-4.
Fisher forced five interceptions on the day and the back-to-back shutouts mark the first time since the final two games of the 1993 season that the Cardinals have held an opponent scoreless.
The defense set the tone early. On Ithaca's very first offensive play, senior Brandon Fuentes intercepted a pass – his first of two on the day - and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown to put the Cardinals up 7-0 with 12:29 left in the first quarter.
Just two possessions later, junior Alec Mortillaro made his team-leading fifth interception of the year and returned it 16 yards. Eight plays later, Taylor Byrne drilled a 32-yard field on the final play of the first quarter to give the Cardinals a 10-0.
With 10:17 left in the second quarter, Nathan Nigolian hauled in a 40-yard touchdown pass from Matt Naton, capping a six-play, 64-yard drive.
Just 13 seconds later, a bad snap from the Bombers' 19-yard line went out of the endzone for a Fisher safety.
On the ensuing drive, the Cardinals marched 54 yards on just three plays with Bobby Campese scoring on a 37-yard pass from Naton to put Fisher up 25-0 with 7:56 left in the half.
Byrne closed out the scoring in the second quarter, splitting the uprights from 22 yards out with 22 second left to give Fisher a 28-0 lead at the half.
On the second play of the second half, Brandon Miller made his first of two interceptions on the day, giving the Cardinals possession at the Ithaca 41.
Five plays later, James Chambers scored on a six-yard run for the game's final points.
The defense continued its dominance for the remainder of the game to preserve the shutout. The Cardinals allowed just 140 yards of total offense, including two rushing yards. Ithaca had possession for less than 20 minutes and were 1-of-7 on third downs.
Miller led the Fisher defense with eight tackles, while David Carroll made five stops. Chris Smith recorded Fisher's lone sack on the day.
Offensively, Nigolian tallied eight catches for 126 yards – all in the first half.
Campese caught five passes for 70 yards. Naton was 17-of-30 on the day for 233 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Chambers led Fisher in rushing, racking up 89 yards on 14 carries.
Fisher returns to action at 1 p.m. next Saturday at Hartwick College.