SCHENECTADY, NY -- Senior running back Tom Arcidiacono (Castleton, NY/Columbia) rushed for 119 yards and three touchdowns and also had a touchdown reception to lead Union College to a 34-7 triumph over Muhlenberg College in the home opener for the Dutchmen at Frank Bailey Field Saturday.
Union evened the season record to 1-1 while the Mules fell to 2-1.
Arcidiacono, who rushed for 100 or more yards for the 12th game in his last 15 contests, averaged 5.4 yards a run. He had 78 receiving yards on two catches, including a 44-yard scoring reception. Senior quarterback Anthony Marotti (River Edge, NJ/River Dell) was 11 for 21 with 172 yards and two touchdowns for the Dutchmen, while senior wide receiver Ryan Twichell (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) had 45 yards on three catches.
Muhlenberg quarterback Eric Santagato (Ringwood, NJ/Lakeland Regional) had 156 yards and completed 17 of 30 passes with a touchdown. Matt Johnson (Lancaster, PA/Lancaster Catholic) had 49 yards on five catches while Derek DiMattina (Northport, NY/Northport) caught five passes for 47 yards. The Mules were held to 52 net yards rushing.
Defensively, Union was led by Mike Wess (Allendale, NJ/N. Highlands) had 12 tackles, including 10 solo hits. He had two tackles for losses of 10 yards. Vito Pellerito (Pompano Beach, FL/St. Thomas) had nine tackles, two for losses, a fumble recovery and a 15-yard interception return. Kevin Flike (Stillwater, NY/LaSalle) made nine tackles, including on for a loss, for Union. Tom Taristano (North Haleton, NJ/Manchester) had eight tackles to lead the Mules.
The Dutchmen took a 7-0 lead when Arcidiacono rushed for 15 yards with 5:55 remaining in the first quarter. It capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive. He had 29 yards on that drive. The Mules tied it on a DiMattina 12-yard catch from Santagato just six seconds into the second quarter. This came on the drive right after Union's score, and the drive consumed 74 yards in 5:54, on 12 plays.
Pellerito recovered a Muhlenberg fumble at the Mules 44-yard line, and six plays later, Arcidiacono scored from 11 yards out but the kick failed and it was 13-7 Union.
The Dutchmen made it 20-7 as Marotti found Arcidiacono for a 44-yard touchdown with 11:17 left in the third quarter. The play came on a third-and-eight situation. Union's Doug Davis (Yonkers, NY/Fieldston) intercepted a Santagato pass at the Muhlenberg 31, and returned it 12 yards to the 19. Four plays later, Marotti hit Zach Tillo (Lancaster, MA/Exeter) with an eight-yard touchdown pass at 7:47 for a 27-7 lead.
Union closed out the scoring with Arcidiacono's nine-yard rushing score with 8:40 remaining in the fourth quarter, top cap a six-play, 61-yard drive in 3:14.
Union opens Liberty League play at home next week, hosting the University of Rochester at 1 p.m. Muhlenberg is idle and will host Franklin & Marshall on September 30 at 1 p.m.
Box Score
