ALLENTOWN, PA – Muhlenberg College posted 394 yards in total offense in posting a 34-0 non-league victory over Union College at Scotty Wood Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Dutchmen are 0-2 after their first shutout since November 2, 2002 at Hartwick, a span of 44 games. Union is 0-2 but enters Liberty League play September 22 at Rochester.
The Muhlenberg defense, which has yet to allow a point in two games, held the Dutchmen to 87 yards in total offense, including 72 passing yards, and three first downs. Union freshman punter
Blaise Ancona (Garden City, NY) had nine punts for 39.3 yards on the day. Eric Santagato completed 15 of 22 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Running back
John DeLuca had 122 yards on 23 carries to lead the Mules, while Matt Johnson had 51 yards on two catches. Union senior running back
Zach Tillo (Lancaster, MA) had 41 yards on 16 carries and junior wide receiver
Brian McLaughlin (Norwood, NJ) had 33 yards on two catches for the Dutchmen.
Union junior
Joseph Catalano (Albany, NY) had 12 tackles, including eight solo, with a sack, while senior defensive back
Mike Daley (N. Bridgeton, ME) recorded eight tackles. Frank Emmett led the Mules with six tackles and Chris Musselman and Matt Rathbun had five each while the Muhlenberg defense recorded four sacks for a total of 23 yards in losses.
Johnson opened the scoring with a 37 yard pass from Santagato with 8:37 left in the first quarter. It capped an eight play, 87 yard drive in 2:57. Jordan Grube wrapped up a six play, 15 yard drive that took 2:03 when he hit a 38 yard field goal with 5:31 remaining in the half. Union stopped a threat towards the end of the first half, as senior defensive back
R.J. Simoni (East Greenbush, NY) intercepted a Santagato pass at the Union 4-yard line with 24 seconds remaining in the quarter. At halftime the Mules had a 184-24 advantage in yards but led only 10-0.
On the Mules' second drive of the third quarter, Santagato's two-yard keeper with 3:47 left made it 17-0, and the 11 play drive took 75 yards and consumed 6:37 of the quarter. After holding Union to four downs, the hosts took over with 2:34 left in the quarter and Santagato ran in an option from five yards out five seconds into the fourth period. It was a five play, 63 yard drive that took 2:39.
On a third-and-nine from the Union 3-yard line, Dutchman quarterback
Ted Civetti (Wellesley, MA) was intercepted by David Mazzola at the Mules' 23. Three plays and 1:39 later, Jim Jeffers converted a third-and-three with a 16 yard scoring run for a 31-0 Muhlenberg lead. The Mules capped the scoring with a 31 yard field goal by T.J. Chiarolanza with 1:31 left to play, wrapping up a nine play, 23 yard drive in 5:19.
Union almost avoided the shutout, but Joel Haddock recovered a Dutchman fumble at the Mules' 16 and the hosts ran out the clock.
The Dutchmen, 0-2 for the first time since 2004, will open up Liberty League play at the University of Rochester on Saturday, September 22. Game time is 12 p.m. on WRUC 89.7 FM and WABY 1160 AM and on the web at
www.teamline.cc.
