ROCHESTER, NY – Drew Connolly threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns – all to
Justin Gallo – as visiting Union College defeated the University of Rochester, 41-34, at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
Connolly completed 22 of 33 passes and was not intercepted. He was sacked once. Gallo caught 14 balls for 237 yards.
Gallo broke the Union school record for career touchdown receptions. Steve Angiletta '06. Gallo's four yard touchdown catch from Connolly with 7:36 left in the third quarter gave him 23 to break the mark. His 14 catches were a career best and are the second highest in school history, with a record of 19 held by George LaPorte '65. Connolly's 363 yard total is a career best and the fourth best yardage total in program annals.
Kevin Quillinan had eight tackles and
Noah Joseph and
Bill Meile each had six tackles for the Dutchmen.
Rochester quarterback Braezen Subick threw four TD passes, tying the school record. He also ran four yards for a touchdown. Subick completed 21 of 35 passes for 310 yards. He was intercepted once and sacked once.
Between them, the two schools combined for 992 yards (581 by Union, 411 by Rochester), 44 first downs (28 by Union, 16 by Rochester) and 673 yards passing (363 by Union, 310 by Rochester).
Adam Henry kicked two field goals for the Dutchmen (1-3 overall, 1-0 Liberty League). He made a 35-yarder midway through the second quarter to put Union ahead for good at 10-7. His 27-yard field goal with 4:13 left in the game pushed the lead to 41-27.
Union needed the cushion. Subick threw a pass to Clarence Onyiriuka in the right flat that Onyiriuka turned into a 25-yard TD with 14 seconds to play. Rochester's onside kick was recovered by Willie Roberson at the 45. Subick completed two short passes, moving the ball to the Union 38. His pass for Garrett Kesel in the corner of the end zone was broken up by Richard Sixto as time expired.
Connolly opened the scoring on a one-yard plunge five minutes into the game. Subick took Rochester 49 yards in six plays, hitting Roberson with a five-yard TD pass with 6:43 left. Henry's field goal put the Dutchmen ahead, 10-7, with 6:05 left in the half.
When Rochester couldn't move following the field goal, Mike Carson punted out of bounds at the Union one. Connolly directed an 11-play, 99-yard TD march, ending it with consecutive 21-yard passes to Gallo. The second one extended the score to 17-7 just before halftime.
Subick's TD pass to Richard Brunet got Rochester within 17-13 early in the fourth. Connolly connected with Gallo on a four-yard TD pass and a 58-yard TD pass on consecutive drives.
Rob Johnson broke free for an 83-yard TD run late in the quarter, extending the Union lead to 38-13.
Roberson returned the ensuing kickoff 82 yards and three plays later, Subick plunged in from the four (38-20) with 0:03 left. He connected with Thomas Norman on a 75-yard TD with 11:16 to play.
The Dutchmen host league rival WPI Saturday, October 1 at 1 p.m. at Frank Bailey Field.
