SCHENECTADY, NY – Matt Stack (Monroe, NY) deflected a pass in the endzone as time ran out to preserve the University of Rochester's 29-25 victory over Union College in the Liberty League opener for both teams Saturday at Frank Bailey Field. The Yellowjackets (0-2 overall) defeated the Dutchmen for the first time since November 7, 1998, ending a nine game Union winning streak. It was the first Rochester win in Schenectady since a 24-20 triumph on September 19, 1987.
Rochester quarterback Braezen Subick (Mahwah, NJ) was 28 for 38 with three touchdowns and 281 yards, and led the Yellowjackets to the eventual game winning drive. He hit Pedro Sosa (Rochester, NY) with a five yard scoring strike with just 34 seconds remaining to cap a nine play, 55 yard drive in 2:04. The Dutchmen took over at their own 43 with 22 seconds remaining, and on the first play,
Andrew Connolly (Foxboro, MA), in his first start as a freshman QB for Union, found
Mike Concannon (Madison, CT) for 40 yards to the Rochester 17.After an incompletion and a 12 yard pass down to the five, Connolly looked for
Josh McKelligan (Canton, MA) to his left in the back of the endzone, but Stack deflected the pass as the period and game ended.
The Yellowjackets prevailed despite an outstanding day by Union sophomore running back
Chris Coney (Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Coney ran for 136 yards and a career best four touchdowns. Connolly was 14 for 31 for 264 yards and one interception, and
Jared Gourrier (New Orleans, LA) had 64 yards on five catches for Union.
John Peters (Clarks Summit, PA) had a game high 14 tackles for the Dutchmen, including a sack, and
Kevin Rautenstrauch (West Seneca, NY) added 13 tackles. Stack led the Yellowjackets with seven stops.
Union had 416 yards on the day, including 264 through the air, while Rochester finished with 334 total yards.
Coney opened the scoring with a 28 yard touchdown run with 3:48 remaining in the first quarter to cap a two play, 52 yards drive in 31 seconds. The point after attempt failed. But with 17 seconds left in regulation, Sosa caught a 6 yard strike from Subick and after the kick from Zachary White-Stellato (Albany, NY), the guests had a 7-6 lead. Sosa's score ended a seven play, 45 yard drive that consumed 3:21.
On the 10th play of a 53 yard drive with 9:03 remaining in the second stanza, White-Stellato made it 10-6 Rochester with a 39 yard field goal. The Dutchmen took the lead again with a 13 yard scamper from Coney with 7:07 left in the second. The kick that came at the completion of the five play, 48 yard drive, failed again and it was 12-10 Union. But on the ensuing kickoff, Nick Fedorka (Saegertown, PA) took the kick at the Rochester 15 and went 85 yards for the touchdown . After the run attempt failed, it was 16-12 Rochester and that was the halftime score.
The third quarter featured only one score, as Elvis Njoku (Rochester, NY) caught a 15 yadr pass from Subick with 1:29 left in the period. It wrapped up a 14 play, 92 yard drive after the Yellowjackets took over on their own eight yard line when Union downed it there with 8:46 left in the third, and Rochester had a 22-12 lead entering the fourth period.
Union pulled to within four at 22-18 with 6:38 left in the fourth period. Union marched 80 yards on eight plays, including a 42 yard pass from Connolly to McKelligan on a fourth-and-two to bring the ball to the Rochester 11. Coney ran from two yards out to cap the eight play, 2:32 drive yet the point after was blocked. The Dutchmen later took over again, this time with 3:13 left, and on the third play of the drive, Connolly hit a wide open
Justin Gallo (Brunswick, NY) for a 60 yard pass to bring a first-and-goal at the UR 5. Coney ran in from there on the next play and after a good PAT, it was Union 25, Rochester 22 with just 2:39 remaining in the fourth.
But Subick led the Yellowjackets to the victory on their final drive. It began at the Rochester 45 with 2:33 left, and he completed seven straight passes to bring the ball to the Union five. After a spike, Subick hit Sosa for the five yard score and the PAT provided the eventual 29-25 final.
Rochester continues Liberty League play next Saturday at home against RPI, while Union plays at WPI next Saturday.
