SCHENECTADY, NY -- Junior kicker David Pope hit three field goals and senior running back Darnel Thomas rushed for 145 yards to lead the Union College football team to a 16-14 Liberty League victory over the University of Rochester at Frank Bailey Field Saturday. The victory on Homecoming & Family Weekend was the first of the season for the Dutchmen, now 1-6 and 1-4 in league play. The Yellowjackets fell to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in the Liberty League.

Thomas had a career high 37 carries and posted his fourth 100 yard game of the season and seventh of his career. The 16 point total was a season best performance by the Union defense, which featured nine tackles and a key interception by Julian Gendels and eight tackles each by Nick Littas and Thomas Hayes. Hayes also had a 15 yard sack. Freshman quarterback Dante Cioffi, in his second career start, was 13 for 34 for 217 yards. Senior wide receiver Kyle Reynolds, the top receiver in yardage in the Liberty League, had 93 yards on six receptions.

Junior Farid Adenuga caught 10 passes for 119 yards for Rochester. Sophomore Myles Allen had 90 yards on 16 carries for the Yellowjackets, while sophomore Dan Bronson had 18 completions on 34 attempts for 194 yards. Isaiah Smith had 11 tackles while R.J. Borgolini recorded 10 and Thomas Marone and Chris Merenich posted nine tackles each. Marone also had two tackles for losses.

Union scored on the opening drive of the game. David Pope made a 22 yard field goal, his first of the year, with 9:24 left in the quarter. It capped a 12 play, 67 yard drive in 5:41 and proved to be the only scoring of the quarter. The Dutchmen had controlled the ball for 10:31 of that first period.

The Dutchmen made it 10-0 with 9:38 left in the second quarter. On a fourth-and-22 from the Rochester 15, Jeff Weinfeld's punt was blocked by Jake LaRovera, and Andrew Luzzi recovered the loose ball in the Yellowjacket endzone, as Pope's PAT gave the hosts a 10 point lead. On the next drive, Rochester got on the board. On a third-and-seven from the Union 31, Bronson ran a draw with a hole up the middle and went 31 yards untouched for the touchdown. The Andrew Haber kick made it 10-7 on a nine play, 76 yard drive in 2:38. but the Dutchmen came back after the kickoff. Pope hit from 29 yards out to make it 13-7 with 1:01 left in the second quarter. It wrapped up a 15 play, 59 yard drive that consumed 5:35, and the Dutchmen took a 13-7 lead into the half.

On the opening drive of the third quarter, Union's Troy Williams intercepted a pass at the Rochester 37 and the Dutchmen started a drive 1:31 into the quarter at the Yelllowjacket 36. Eight plays and 24 yards later, Pope hit his third field goal of the day, another 29 yarder for a 16-7 Union lead with 9:50 remaining in the period. Bronson did it again with his legs, this time with an identical scoring play for a 30 yard rush and a Haber kick made it 16-14 with 1:40 left in the third quarter. This was a seven play, 80 yard drive that took 3:16.

There was no scoring in the fourth quarter thanks to the stellar defenses. Rochester forced three punts in the quarter but Union's "D" was also strong, especially late in the quarter. A Bronson pass on fourth-and-eight from the Union 34 was incomplete with 10:22 remaining. The Yellowjackets had another chance on a fourth-and-four from the UR 49 but had another incompletion. With 3:07 left, Union went seven plays and 24 yards but was stopped on downs at the UR 25 with 37 seconds left. Bronson hit Nick Perpignan for 10 yards to the UR 35 with 17 seconds left. After a spike, Union's Julian Gendels sealed the victory with an interception at the Rochester 43.

Union won for the 21st time in the last 24 meetings in the series. Rochester is idle next week while Union plays at league leader Hobart at 12 p.m.