SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - #11/12 Ithaca College scored 17 straight points in the third and fourth quarters to pull away from the Union College football team and capture the 2022 Liberty League Championship with a 31-28 victory, spoiling Union's Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.

The win clinches the first Liberty League title for Ithaca (9-0, 6-0 Liberty League) and assures them an automatic berth in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. 

AJ Wingfield led the Bombers under center, completing 13-of-24 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. Three different Bombers scored on the ground, led by Jack Williams with 99 yards and a score on 21 carries, and Wingfield with 40 yards on 10 attempts.

Senior Donovan Pacatte combined for 328 total yards and all four touchdowns for Union (6-3, 3-2 Liberty League), passing for 208 yards and three scores while also rushing for a team-leading 120 yards and a touchdown. Two of senior Ike Irabor's catches got into the end zone and junior Garrett Cafaro also caught his first collegiate touchdown as well for the home team.

After Ithaca marched 98 yards for a touchdown on the game's opening possession, the teams traded punts before Union could respond. Taking over at midfield, the Dutchmen needed 10 plays to even the score, thanks to a Irabor 16-yard pitch and catch that resulted in the senior hurdling an Ithaca defender into the end zone.

The Union defense forced a three-and-out and the offense quickly responded, with Pacatte capping a six-play drive with a 27-yard scamper to pay dirt that gave Union a 14-7 lead and handed Ithaca its first deficit of the season. That deficit lasted only 93 seconds before the visitors tied the score at 14, but the home team came right back and scored again to take a 21-14 lead, with Cafaro catching a 23-yard score to put Union ahead again.

But has been the case in all three Union losses this year, the second half saw the Dutchmen offense dry up. Union compiled 195 yards of offense in the final 30 minutes, but 83 of those yards coming on a late drive with the team down two scores.

Union started the second half with the ball and quickly gave it back on an interception, which led to a game-tying touchdown three minutes later. Union got the ball back and drove to the edge of the red zone, but Pacatte fumbled after a 15-yard run. Despite an interception by senior Austin St. Pierre on the next possession, Union came away empty thanks to a missed field goal.

The Bombers took advantage of the miss, marching 80 yards in 15 plays to take the lead and added a field goal early in the fourth quarter to take a 10-point lead with 11:25 to go in the fourth. Union got in the end zone one more time, but the 18-play drive took up more than four minutes and left just 10 seconds left on the clock. Ithaca recovered the subsequent onside kick to seal the win.

Despite the loss, Union still has one more trophy to play for. The Dutchmen head to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to battle for the Dutchman Shoes Trophy next Saturday beginning at noon.