Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Union College football team's defense held Springfield College scoreless in the second half on the way to a 21-6 road victory Saturday afternoon at Stagg Field.
With the victory, Union has won the first three games of the season four years in a row.
The Dutchmen tallied 325 yards of offense in the win. Senior quarterback Donovan Pacatte went 11-for-18 and 133 passing yards while classmate Ike Irabor led all players with 124 rushing yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Jonathan Anderson added 17 yards on six carries and a score and senior Andre Ross Jr. found the endzone on a 26-yard reception.
The Union defense held the top-ranked rushing offense to 254 rushing yards, almost 150 yards less than Springfield's season average going into the game. Senior Cole DaSilva racked up a game-high 15 tackles. Junior Nathan Sullivan added a key interception and a 29-yard return in the third quarter on top of three tackles.
Union opened the scoring on the first drive of the game when Pacatte found Ross Jr. on a 26-yard reception for the seniors 36th career touchdown and second this season. The Pride responded on the following drive as Christian Hutra connected on a 43-yard field goal.
Springfield added another field goal on the opening drive of the second quarter. The Union defense halted the drive at their own 9-yard line, forcing the Pride to kick a field goal. After Pacatte found first-year Nicholas Dunneman on a 48-yard reception to put the ball deep in Springfield territory, the Dutchmen offense made five consecutive runs up the field. An 8-yard rush by Pacatte set up Anderson to take the one-yard dash into the endzone and junior Andrew Lau converting his second PAT of the day.
The Pride came close to scoring in the early part of the third quarter, but a great heads-up play by Sullivan with an interception at the Union 1-yard line and a 29-yard return kept Springfield off the board in the third.
After a scoreless third quarter and holding onto a one-score lead, Union took possession with 3:57 to go on their own 12-yard line. Irabor rushed three consecutive times for the first down at the Union 26. On the fourth handoff, Irabor found an open lane and took the ball 74 yards and the score with Lau connecting on the third and final PAT.
Union returns home for back-to-back home games starting with Utica University on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.