KING'S POINT, N.Y. Junior running back Tom Arcidiacono (Castleton, NY/Columbia) scored on a four-yard touchdown run in the first overtime to lift Union College to a 23-17 victory over the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Saturday at Brooks Stadium.

The Dutchmen improved to 4-0 on the season and 2-0 in the Liberty League, while the Mariners fell to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the league.

Union won the toss after regulation and the Mariners were on offense in the "top" of the overtime session. But on a 4^th-and-19, USMMA kicker Geoff Troy missed a 51-yard field goal attempt, his first miss in 12 tries this season. Seven plays later on a third-and-goal, Arcidiacono scored the game-winning score. The junior running back, who entered the game ranked fourth in NCAA Division III with an average of 192.3 yards per game, finished with 219 yards and two touchdowns.

Union wide receiver Steve Angiletta (Plantsville, CT/Southington) had eight catches for 178 yards and junior QB Anthony Marotti (River Edge, NJ/River Dell) was 21 for 43 with three interceptions and a touchdown, for 301 yards. Union's Dylon Walton-Yedlin (Seattle, WA/Lakeside) led the Union defense with four sacks for 38 yards and five tackles for losses, with seven total tackles.

The Dutchmen took a 17-10 lead with 3:06 remaining in the fourth quarter. Paul Deguire (Watervliet/CBA) scored on a 12 yard reception from Marotti. Union started that drive when Dave Taliaferro fumbled a Union punt return at the USMMA 14 that was recovered by Jim Baron (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk). Two plays later, Deguire gave the visitors the lead. Merchant Marine tied it on a six-play, 72-yard drive with 1:48 left to play in regulation. Adam Franco rushed for three yards out for the score.

The Mariners opened the scoring just 2:17 into the first quarter. Troy booted a 29-yard field goal to complete a four-play, seven-yard drive. USMMA's Frank Dore intercepted a Marotti pass at the home team's five, and returned it 76 yards. It was the first interception by Marotti in 100 pass attempts on the season.

On a 2^nd-and-26 from the Union 6-yard line, Arcidiacono broke open for a 94 yard scoring rush that gave the Dutchmen a 7-3 lead with 4:58 left in the first.

USMMA's Chuck Kleinschnitz later drove the Mariners 12 plays but Union's Matt Dumont (Bristol, CT/St. Paul) intercepted a pass at the Union-5 to stop the drive. On the next possession, Union converted a 13-play, 43-yard drive when Ben Rapple (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) made a 30-yard field goal with 11:32 left in the second quarter for a 10-3 lead. The hosts tied it on a Kleinschnitz nine-yard rush with 7:40 left in the second stanza to convert a seven-play, 80-yard drive that took 2:56.

Union took the next kickoff and drove 11 plays and 69 yards. But Brant Wilcox forced a Dutchman fumble at the hosts 1-yard line to end a scoring threat. The third quarter was scoreless, but the Dutchmen had another opportunity early in the fourth. After the quarter's opening kickoff, Union went 10 plays but on the 11^th play of the drive, Marotti found Angiletta to the hosts 14-yard line before the receiver fumbled and the Mariners' Dan Magnotta recovered at the USMMA nine.

Baron and Chris Nappi (Scotia, NY/Niskayuna) had eight tackles each for the Dutchmen. Magnotta made 18 tackles for the Mariners, while Garron Edginton had 16 hits for the hosts.

After three straight road games, Union is home next week to host Liberty League rival WPI at 1 p.m. for "Take a Kid to the Game Day," (kids 12 and under will be admitted free with a paid adult admission).