CORTLAND, N.Y. - The Union College football team went into halftime down by only a point, but #23 SUNY Cortland outscored the Garnet Chargers 23-0 after the break to pull away for a 30-6 victory in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex.
 
Senior Patch Flanagan accounted for 265 total yards to lead Union (0-2) through the air and on the ground, but four interceptions and a fumble gave the Red Dragons the opportunities they needed to pull away. Junior Michael Dinardo caught a team-leading seven passes for 35 yards and sophomore Nico Savini led the defense with nine tackles and a 64-yard interception return for a score.
 
Cortland put Union on the defensive from the start, taking the opening kickoff and going 75 yards in eight plays (all rushes), capped by an eight-yard touchdown run by Ethan Gallo. After the teams traded punts twice, Union put together its first promising drive of the game, moving 44 yards to the Cortland 11-yard line before Anthony Luciano intercepted Flanagan to end the threat. 
 
The next Cortland drive resulted in Union's only points of the game, when Savini picked off a Mike Rescigno pass and ran the other way 64 yards for his first career interception and pick-six. However, the subsequent extra point missed its mark to keep Cortland in front. The defense held on the next possession to get the ball back, but another turnover stalled a drive around midfield and the teams went into the half at 7-6.
 
Following a Red Dragon field goal on its first possession of the second half, Union looked poised to take the lead by marching 73 yards to reach the two-yard line; however, another costly turnover killed the momentum. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Flanagan was caught in the backfield and attempted to keep pushing forward, but the ball was stripped by a Cortland defender and recovered in the end zone for a touchback. The Red Dragons closed the door with touchdowns on their final three possessions to widen the final deficit.
 
Cortland gashed Union on the ground to the tune of 286 yards on 48 rushes, while the Union defense limited the home team to just 75 yards through the air. The Garnet Chargers finished the afternoon with 311 total yards (159 passing, 152 rushing).
 
Union will look to turn the page next Saturday in the team's home opener, when the Garnet Chargers welcome SUNY Morrisville to Frank Bailey Field for a 1 p.m. kickoff.