The University of Rochester scored three touchdowns in the first 11 minutes and went on to a 34-14 victory over St. Lawrence University at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
Rochester scored on a 58-yard option pass, a seven yard run, and a 51-yard interception return to jump in front of St. Lawrence. Rochester led, 28-0, at halftime.
It was Rochester's third straight victory, its first at home this season. The Yellowjackets are 3-5 overall, 2-3 in the Liberty League. St. Lawrence is 4-5 overall, 4-1 in the Liberty League. An SLU win would have clinched the Liberty League championship for St. Lawrence. The Saints need either a Hobart loss in either of its last two games or an SLU win over WPI in Canton next week to claim their first NCAA playoff bid since 1982.
Quarterback Patrick Keegan caught a 58-yard option pass from Anthony Messana on Rochester's first play from scrimmage to start the scoring. The Yellowjackets opened the game by recovering their own on-side kickoff at the Rochester 42. Keegan handed the ball to Chris Lebano running left. He reversed it to Messana coming back right. Messana pulled up and threw to Keegan, open five yards behind the defense.
Linebacker Brendan Pidgeon had a part in Rochester's next two TDs. He forced a fumble by SLU's Marcus Washington at the UR 42 and Brok Kloeber recovered for the Yellowjackets on the 45. Five plays later, Lebano rushed for a seven-yard TD. Messana caught two passes in the drive.
On the ensuing St. Lawrence possession, Pidgeon tipped a J.P. Kearney pass at the UR 49, caught it, and ran 51 yards for a touchdown, extending the lead to 21-0 with 4:06 left in the quarter.
The Yellowjackets intercepted three Kearney passes – one by Kobie Hamm at the UR 2. SLU got inside the Rochester red zone twice in the second quarter, but couldn't crack into the end zone.
Rochester's last first half TD was a one-yard dive by Lebano four minutes into the second quarter. It ended a 13-play, 83-yard drive.
Kearney got the Saints onto the scoreboard with a 29-yard pass to Ethan Sutton five minutes into the third quarter. Rochester answered with a pair of field goals by Zachary White-Stellato (22 and 35 yards). Reserve quarterback Michael Baraldi threw a seven-yard TD to Brendan Fitzpatrick in the final minute of play.
Statistically, Lebano rushed 22 times for 92 yards and scored two TDs. Braezen Subick completed 16 of 23 passes for 174 yards. He was sacked once. R.J. Napodano caught four passes for 59 yards and Messana caught four passes for 49 yards. Rochester had 323 yards in offense, 90 rushing, 233 passing.
St. Lawrence had 228 in offense, 208 through the air, 20 on the ground. Kearney completed 15 of 29 for 171 yards and one TD with the three interceptions. Baraldi completed four of five for 37 yards. Sutton led all receivers with eight catches for 139 yards. Defensively, Pidgeon had five tackles, one forced fumble, and the one TD interception return. For SLU, Ryan Fedo had 11 tackles, two behind the line totaling three yards.
