Box Score

SCHENECTADY, NY -- Senior Drew Connolly tied his own school record with five touchdown passes to lead the Union football team to a 38-28 victory over Rensselaer in the Dutchman Shoes Trophy Game at Frank Bailey Field. With the win the Dutchman improve to 4-4 overall and 4-1 in the Liberty League. RPI falls to 3-4 and 2-2.

Union now leads the oldest collegiate football rivalry in New York State, 80-25-4, and has won 46 of the 62 times the trophy has been presented since the first time in 1950.

Connolly threw each of his scoring strikes to one of the two Gallo brothers on the team. Justin Gallo had three, while younger brother Connor had two.  Connolly finished completing 18 of 29 passes for 335 yards and his five TDs. It was his fifth career 300 yard passing game. He was intercepted once. Justin Gallo had nine catches for 115 yards, Connor had three receptions for 55 yards and Jimmer Bennett added a careeer high 114 receiving yards on four catches.

Gallo became the second receiver in Union history to record 3,000 career receiving yards when he a 22 yard strike from Connolly with 4:40 left in the first quarter. He ended the day with 3,100 career receiving yards. Gallo's second touchdown of the day broke the single season record with his 13th TD catch, passing Bryan Slekes, who had 12 in 2000.

Connolly also had five touchdown passes against Merchant Marine on November 8, 2008, and joined Anthony Marotti (who also did it twice) as the only QBs at Union to toss for five touchdowns in a game.

For RPI, junior Mike Hermann completed 23 of 33 passes for 349 yards passing with a touchdown. He also rushed for a pair of scores. Junior Austin Caswell was the top receiver with 11 catches for 165 yards.

RPI got on the board on the game's first drive, an 8-play, 64-yard effort that culminated with a 1-yard touchdown run by Hermann, who scored on a run for the 11th time this season. Caswell accounted for 44 of the Engineers' yards, including seven on the ground and 37 in receiving yards.

The Dutchmen came right back to tie the score on their first possession when Connolly connected with Connor Gallo on a 29-yard scoring strike to the the front right corner of the end zone.  The drive covered 55 yards in five plays in 2:04.

Hermann put the Engineers back in front when he scored on an 11-yard Statue of Liberty touchdown run early in the second quarter. RPI gained control of the ball on its own 8-yard line on an interception by senior Zach Scruggs and drove 92 yards on 11 plays.

Once again the home team came right back, this time with Connolly finding Justin Gallo in the end zone from four yards out.  The series started with a 33-yard kickoff return by Alex Macchio, which gave the Dutchmen the ball on its own 40-yard line.

Rensselaer pulled back in front by a touchdown with just 1:04 left in the first half when Andrew Armato ran up the middle for a 10-yard score. The highlight of the series, which started on the RPI 25-yard line, was a 41-yard pass from Hermann to Steven Burpoe that brought the ball to the 10-yard line.

Following another strong kickoff return by Macchio, this one for 42 yards, Union pushed the ball down the field to tie the game, 21-21, with just 14 seconds left in the second quarter. Connolly found Justin Gallo, who just snuck into the front right corner of the end zone.

Connelly and Connor Gallo gave the Dutchmen their first lead of the game coming out of halftime with a 15-yard touchdown. The balanced 10-play drive (5 rushes, 5 passes) covered 80 yards in 3:45 and Union led, 28-21 with 11:15 left in the third quarter.  Justin Gallo caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Connelly down the left sideline midway through the third quarter to increase the Dutchmen's lead to 35-21. Union gained possession on an interception by John Campbell. Adam Henry added a 36-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter to push Union's lead to 38-21.  The drive started at the Union 1-yard line.

The Engineers pulled to within 10 points, 38-28, with 11:27 left in the fourth quarter when Hermann found tight end Mike Blais from 11-yards out to cap an 8-play, 77-yard drive. RPI had a chance to pull within three points but was stopped on quarterback option play from the 1-yard line on a fourth-down play.

RPI defensive lineman Ted Abriel led all tacklers with 14 stops, including seven unassisted, 1.5 sacks (9 yards) and 2.5 for lost yards (12). He also forced a fumble. Noah Joseph paced Union with 10 tackles, including five unassisted and a half a sack (5 yards). Union's Steve Modliszewski recorded his 200th career tackle in this game.

Union wraps up Liberty League play next Saturday, November 5, when the Dutchmen travel to Kings Point, NY to play the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.