Gameday Week 11/26/2005 - NCAA Playoffs Round Two Game #11 Union

Profs Outlast Dutchmen 28-24 SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Rowan advances to NCAA Quarterfinals with 28-24 win at previously undefeated Union, 28-24 Senior running back Nadyr Albri rushed for 149 yards on 37 carries to lead Rowan University to a 28-24 victory at Union College in an NCAA Division III Second Round playoff game Saturday at Frank Bailey Field. The game was played in light snow throughout the day. Rowan, 10-1, advances to the quarterfinals to play at Delaware Valley on Saturday, December 3 at 12 p.m. Delaware Valley defeated Hobart, 21-14 at home today. Union, suffering a loss for the first time since November 6, 2004 after 12 straight wins, finished the 2005 season with an 11-1 record, the second most wins in history. The Dutchmen won 13 games and reached the Stagg Bowl in 1989. Albri scored the eventual game-winning score with a five-yard touchdown run with 2:31 remaining in the third quarter. It capped a 10-play, 59-yard drive in 4:00 to make it 28-24 Rowan, and the teams were scoreless in the fourth quarter. It was only the second fourth quarter in all 12 games that Union was held without a point, and the first time that Union did not score a second half touchdown this year. Sophomore quarterback Joe Rankin was 18 for 32 with 199 yards and a touchdown for the Profs, while senior WR Sakeen Wright had 78 yards on six catches and a touchdown. Senior linebacker Todd Trout led Rowan with seven tackles and an interception, along with three pass deflections. Union junior WR Steve Angiletta had a career high 232 yards on 12 catches and two touchdowns. Junior QB Anthony Marotti was 17 for 42 for 275 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted five times. Junior running back Tom Arcidiacono, who entered the game ranked second in NCAA Division III with an average of 170.9 yards per game, was held to 74 yards on 21 carries. Sophomore LB Vito Pellerito had game highs of 11 solo and 13 total tackles, and three tackles for losses, while Kevin Flike and Jesse Smith had 12 stops each for Union. Union opened the scoring 54 seconds into the game on the opening drive. On a second and 10 from the Rowan 20, Arcidiacono ran it in for a 7-0 lead. It was the fourth play of a 64-yard drive. Rowan tied it at 11:32 when Ulysses Encarnacion had an eight-yard scoring run to wrap up a three-play, 26-yard drive in 17 seconds. The drive was set up when Rowan's Dawaine Whetstone intercepted a Marotti pass at the Rowan 37 and returned it 37 yards. Union regained the lead when Angiletta caught a 21-yard pass from Marotti at 8:41 of the first to give the Dutchmen a 14-7 advantage. The seven-play, 57-yard drive in 2:46 featured a 15-yard pass to Angiletta on a third-and-12 from the Rowan 48. Rowan tied it again as Wright caught a four-yard touchdown pass from Rankin at 3:45 of the first. The 14-play, 67-yard drive that took 4:55 started after the Angiletta score. On a fourth-and-one at the Union 6-yard line, Rankin kept for a four-yard rush to keep the drive alive, and two plays later, found Wright for the 14-14 score. Union took a 21-14 advantage at 13:41 of the second quarter, as Angiletta caught a 30-yard pass from Marotti to cap a six-play, 57-yard drive in 1:41. Marotti hit Angiletta for 13 yards to the Rowan 44 on a third-and-10 at the end of the first quarter to extend the drive. The Profs tied the contest once more, 21-21, when Rankin scored on a two-yard keeper at 8:24 of the third period. It was a six-play, 70-yard drive in 1:58. On a third and five at midfield, Rankin found WR Brad Stys with an eight yard pass, and on the next play, Albri rushed for 36 yards to bring it to the Union-6. Two plays later, Rankin rushed for the tying score. On the ensuing kickoff, the Dutchmen took over on their own 41 and five plays later, Ben Rapple booted a 26 yard field goal for Union's final lead of the day, 24-21 with 6:36 left in the third period. The 51-yard drive consumed 1:41. But on the next Rowan drive, the Profs took the lead for good, as Albri finished the game-winning 10-play drive with his five-yard run. Pellerito intercepted a Rankin pass at the Union 38 and returned it 25 yards to the Rowan 37 with 8:30 left in the fourth. But three plays later, the threat ended when Marotti's pass was intercepted by Whetstone at the Profs' 25 yard line. Union's final threat ended on an interception by Jabrill Joseph at the Rowan 49 with 1:55 remaining in the fourth period. Angiletta ended the season with a school record 1,612 receiving yards, while Marotti had a single season mark of 3,095 yards, the first Union quarterback to eclipse the 3,000 yard mark. Union College press release

Rowan Tackles Union in Round Two By Tom Wilson JT@rowanfootball.com The Dutchmen have won 12 straight games dating back to last year. They have made 10 playoff appearances and have a 9-9 record. Union has appeared in the Stagg Bowl twice losing both times in 1983 and 1989. Quarterback Anthony Marotti leads the offense. Marotti has thrown 2,820 yards on 197 completions and 24 touchdowns. He is ranks 32nd in the nation for total offense. The rushing attack is handled by Tom Arcidiacono, he's has pounded out 1,880 yards on 329 carries with 19 touchdowns. Arcidiacono is second in the nation rushing 170.9 at yards per game. He is eighth in all-purpose yards with 176.5 yards per game. Union is ranked 17th in total offense with 459 yards per game. Rowan boasts the 4th ranked rushing defense in the country. The Profs are 8th in total defense. The Dutchmen are only ranked in the top 35 in one defensive category, turnover margin at +1.3 (ranked 16th). Union has given up 83 points in the last two games. The key to this game will be for Rowan to slow down Arcidiacono. He's tenacious and tough to bring down. Profs must wrap up on tackles. Rowan will need to flow to the ball and gang tackle. Expect Union to try things that will neutralize Profs' team speed on defense: Screens, short passes, and three step drops. Like the Wilkes and Montclair game it will be important for the Profs to get ahead on the scoreboard and force the Dutchmen to pass. Joe Rankin must continue to take the next step and keep improving offensively. Rowan also needs to win the special teams battle and take advantage of field position. If the Profs can succeed in these areas they'll come out with a W. Don't give Union an opportunity to hang around and have a chance to win the game in the 4th quarter. William Paterson, Robert Morris, and TCNJ hung around on Rowan in the regular season. Letting the Dutchmen hang around could very well be last game the Profs play this year.