Coach Poppe Press Conference

BALTIMORE, Md. – The Union College football team saw their postseason run come to an end in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 39-17 loss at the hands of #7 Johns Hopkins University on Saturday at Homewood Field.

Union finishes the season with a 10-2 record under first-year head coach Jon Poppe.

Junior Jonathan Anderson paced the ground attack with 79 yards on 12 carries, moving him past 1,000 yards on the ground this season. With 56 yards today, Anderson and senior Michael Fiore became the first pair of Union teammates to rush for over 1,000 yards in the same season and just the 27th tandem in NCAA Division III history to both rush for quadruple figures in the same season.

Senior Donovan Pacatte went 19-for-38 with 169 yards and two touchdowns, while junior Robbie Tolbert led the Union receivers with 68 yards on five receptions. Sophomore Isaiah Russell recorded his first collegiate touchdown and Fiore added a seven-yard catch for a score.

Seniors Spencer Goldstien and Cole DaSilva racked up 13 tackles each to lead all defenders. Senior Jimaar Edwards added six tackles and a sack for a nine-yard loss. Junior James Gillespie came up big once again with a forced fumble and a fumble return of 64 yards to set up Union for a score.

After Union was forced to punt on the opening drive, the Blue Jays found the endzone on the subsequent drive. A pair of short runs by Bay Harvey put Johns Hopkins at the two-yard line and Spencer Uggla made the plunge to give the hosts a 7-0 lead. The Blue Jays struck again on their second drive after forcing Union to punt again. Bay Harvey took it to the house on an 11-yard carry, but Joe Zahner missed the extra point attempt.

Union punched back early in the second quarter. Three straight runs by Anderson set up the Union offense at the Johns Hopkins' 33-yard line. Pacatte found sophomore Landers Green for a 26-yard reception to pick up a key first down and put the ball only seven yards out from the endzone. On his second pass of the drive, Pacatte found Russell in the top corner of the endzone to make it a one-score game. Union's defense came up with a big stop on third down later in the second quarter, forcing the Blue Jays to settle for a field goal. With under two minutes to play, Harvey completed a pass to Will Leger, but DaSilva forced the fumble and Gillespie scooped it up for a 64-yard return to the seven-yard line. Union needed only one snap to cash in as Pacatte found Fiore through the air to make it a 16-14 contest. However, the Blue Jays took back momentum by marching down the field in the final minute, finishing their six-play drive with a a 24-yard touchdown reception bu EJ Talarico. Senior Jack Flanagan blocked the extra point attempt to send the teams into the locker room with a 22-14 game at halftime.

Each team traded punts to start the third quarter. The Union defense came up big with back-to-back sacks to force the Blue Jays to punt for a second time in the third stanza. Union found the scoresheet on the following drive thanks to a 24-yard field goal by junior Max Gluck for the only score in the quarter.

The Blue Jays opened the fourth quarter with a touchdown run by Uggla to take a 29-17 lead. Johns Hopkins intercepted Pacatte and turned it into points with a 24-yard field goal by Joe Zahner. A second interception followed by a 51-yard return set up the hosts deep in Union territory and Uggla made short work of the opportunity. Union made one more attempt, but turned the ball over on downs at the three-yard line, where Johns Hopkins took a knee to end the game.