MONTCLAIR, N.J. – The Union College football team finished its non-conference slate with a disappointing 17-15 loss at Montclair State University on Saturday evening at Sprague Field.
Union (1-3) struggled offensively for much of the night, gaining only 210 total yards. Junior
Patch Flanagan threw for two touchdowns, but completed only 13-of-39 passes for 114 yards. He also ran for 35 yards, second to senior
Jonathan Anderson (45 yards) as the Union rushing attack was limited to 96 yards on 29 carries.
Following a scoreless first frame, Montclair State (2-1) opened the scoring with 6:59 left in the second quarter when Aidan McLaughlin connected with Jaden Peart for a 29-yard touchdown. After both teams punted, Union got into the end zone for the first time with a 10-play, 46-yard drive capped by a six-yard throw from Flanagan to senior
Michael Fiore with under a minute left in the second and a subsequent two-point conversion from senior
AJ Condemi to sophomore
Mike Dinardo. Montclair State still had time to take back the lead before halftime, however, moving 55 yards in six plays to set up a 36-yard field goal by Greg Casimir to give the Red Hawks a 10-8 lead at the break.
After the teams started the second half with matching fourth-down stops and punts, the home team extended its lead on a nine-yard touchdown run by Christopher Arnold that put MSU up 17-8 with 2:44 left in the third.
Union put together its best drive of the game to start the fourth quarter, getting back into the contest with an 11-play, 70-yard drive. Junior
Gil Rivera had three catches on the drive and a big MSU offsides penalty gave the Garnet Chargers a first-and-goal at the seven-yard line, which resulted in Flanagan finding junior
Cam Fries for a seven-yard touchdown that made it a 17-15 game with 7:07 remaining.
The defense did its job on the next possession to get the ball back to the offense, but Union stalled at the Montclair State 37-yard line with a turnover on downs. Union again forced a punt and got the ball back with just over two minutes remaining, but incomplete passes on third and fourth down gave the ball back to MSU for the final kneel downs.
Union will kick off Liberty League play next Saturday at 1 p.m. at St. Lawrence University.
