SCHENECTADY, N.Y.Sophomore tailback Tom Arcidiacono carried the ball 24 times for 172 yards and three touchdowns to lead Union College to a 28-7 Liberty League Division III football victory over the United State Merchant Marine Academy before a Homecoming crowd of 2,213 on Frank Bailey Field.

The victory improved the Dutchmen's overall record to 2-2 and 2-0 in the conference while the Mariners fell to 1-4 overall, 1-1 in the Liberty League.

Arcidiacono, a graduate of nearby Columbia High School, scored on touchdown runs of one, 30 and 54 yards.  Meanwhile, sophomore quarterback Anthony Marotti completed 14 of 30 passes for 180 yards and picked up his eighth TD toss of the season when he found sophomore wideout Steve Angiletta on a 52-yard strike in the third quarter.  The touchdown gave the Dutchmen a 15-7 lead with 6:54 on the clock.

Union's defense held the Mariners to just 133 total yards on 51 plays.  The Dutchmen's offense, meanwhile, finished with 452 yards on 86 plays and had possession of the ball for 37:18.  Union converted seven of 18 third down opportunities (and both of their fourth down chances).  Merchant Marine was just one of 13 on third down.

Linebacker Jesse Smith gave the Dutchmen a 2-0 lead with 14:54 showing in the second quarter when he sacked Mariner quarterback Chuck Kleinschnitz in the end zone for a three-yard loss.  The play was set up when Union punter Sean Losier boomed a 66-yard kick that landed on the Mariners' one-yard line.  Dutchmen Defenders Matt Dumont and Brian Griffin both kept the ball from crossing the goal line before Rich Uluski downed the ball on the one.  Three plays later Smith gave Union the 2-0 advantage.

The Mariners took a 7-2 lead with 7:00 left in the first half when senior fullback Frank Toner scored his first career touchdown on a 22-yard burst up the middle.  Toner, an outside linebacker turned running back, finished the game with 78 yards on 17 carries.

Union took an 8-7 edge into the locker room when it took the ensuing kickoff and traveled 71 yards on 18 plays.  Arcidicaono scored from one yard out on fourth down with 22 seconds remaining.  Union, which missed two field goals and a PAT kick, failed to convert on the two-point conversion pass.

The Marotti to Angiletta combination gave Union a 15-7 lead with 6:54 showing in the third quarter.  After taking a punt on their own 48, Marotti faked a short pass to the flat before finding Angiletta down the middle for the 54-yard strike.  Ben Rapple added the PAT kick.

Linebacker Ed Larkin's hit on Toner forced a fumble that was recovered by Ed Baron two plays following the kickoff to give Union the ball on the Mariners' 30.  Arcidiacono broke several tackles on second down to give the Dutchmen a 21-7 advantage with 6:26 left in the third quarter as Rapple's kick was wide.  Union's final score came on its next possession when Arcidiacono again broke several tackles enroute to a 54-yard touchdown run that sealed the victory.

Matt Fuhrman was in on 15 tackles for the Mariners with teammates Rich Martucci and Josh Hansen contributing 13 and 11, respectively.  Fuhrman  also had one of the Mariners' three interceptions.

Chris Wood and Jesse Smith were each in on six tackles with Larkin, Alex Smith and Manocchio contributing five tackles each.