MEADVILLE, Pa. – Senior quarterback Donovan Pacatte set the tone for the Union College football team with five touchdowns to lead the Dutchmen to a 42-27 victory over Allegheny College Saturday afternoon at Frank B. Fuhrer Field.
The Dutchmen offense racked up 462 all-purpose yards in the win including 342 yards on the ground, the most rushing yards in a game for Union since going for 409 yards against Merchant Marine on November 5, 2016.
Pacatte went 7-for-12 for 120 passing yards and three touchdowns in his first collegiate start. The senior led all players with 98 rushing yards and two touchdowns. First-year wide receiver Nicholas Dunneman made an immediate impact on the Dutchmen offense with three receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Ike Irabor and junior Jonathan Anderson also found the endzone while junior kicker Andrew Lau was a perfect 6-for-6 on extra points.
The Union defense held the Gators to only 60 rushing yards on 31 attempts and two sacks. Sophomore Azarai Lewis had a team-high nine tackles while senior Spencer Goldstien added seven, including a tackle for a loss, and an interception.
After a 68-yard return by the Gators in the opening kickoff, the Dutchmen defense locked in and forced Allegheny to settle for a field goal. The lead was short-lived as Union was quick to respond in the following drive and never trailed again. After an 11-yard run by Irabor, Pacatte connected with Dunneman on a 49-yard pass to score. Union added a second touchdown in the opening frame as Pacatte extended the lead with a four-yard scamper and Lau converted his second PAT of the day to put the visitors up 14-3.
After a 16-yard run on a fourth-and-ten to give the Union offense new life, Pacatte and junior Michael Fiore combined for four short runs for the score on an 18-play drive and 8:23 of possession. Allegheny added a 14-yard field goal to cut into Union's lead at the end of the half.
Senior Kevin Rabacs opened the third quarter with a 19-yard return before classmate Joseph Ferreira rushed six times in a row to bring the ball to Allegheny's 32-yard line. Pacatte connected with Anderson on a 32-yard touchdown pass for Union's fourth score of the day. The Dutchmen took a commanding 35-6 lead after Irabor found an open lane and scored on a 26-yard run. Three penalties on the subsequent drive put the Gators deep in Union territory, where quarterback Jack Johnson capitalized on a 17-yard pass to Declan O'Brien to give Allegheny their first touchdown of the day.
A 40-yard rush by Ferreira to end the third quarter set up the Dutchmen for an early score in the fourth. Pacatte connected with Dunneman again on a 21-yard pass to extend Union's lead 42-13. After both teams were picked off on back-to-back drives, Allegheny added their second touchdown of the day on a one-yard run by John Ian Duron, but the Union defense stopped the rush for the extra two points. The Gators added one final score in the fourth on an 80-yard 17-play drive including a successful two-point conversion.
Union opens the home portion of the schedule on Saturday, September 10 when they host Worcester State University. Kick off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
Pacatte Records 5 TDs as Union Runs over Allegheny 42-27
/seasons/2022/boxscores/20220903_l614.xml
2022
Union
42
Allegheny
27
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union (1-0) | 14 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 42 |
| Allegheny (0-1) | 3 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 27 |
Sep 03, 2022