PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester football team moved to 3-0 to start the season for the first time since the 2015 campaign after posting another strong defensive effort in a 28-6 victory over Salve Regina University on Saturday afternoon at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
 
The Yellowjackets combined to hold the visiting Seahawks (1-2) to just 233 yards of offense and picked off SRU quarterback Padraig Brown three times on the day, now sitting at eight interceptions through three contests, ranking near the top of NCAA Division III.
 
Defensive backs Jordy Tawa and Judah Thomas each had an interception, and linebacker Daniel Santos provided a pick, returning the play 65-yards for a touchdown to boost Rochester's lead to 21-0 early in the fourth quarter.
 
Both Tawa and Santos had interceptions during last weeks shutout victory over Alfred State. Tawa ended the day with four break-ups and four tackles, while Santos ended with five tackles. Simon Weeren paced the 'Jacket defenders with eight stops, adding a break-up and QB hurry in the win.
 
Offensively, Daniel Papantonis churned out 110 total yards on 20 rushing attempts, scoring a 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. His yardage total put the graduate student over 3,000 for his career, becoming just the fourth runner in Yellowjacket football history to reach that milestone.
 
Six players ended with rushing attempts on the day, with four ending with over 20 yards. Jay Zheng (28 yards) and Ryan Rose (14 yards) also found the endzone on the ground, with Yellowjackets totaling 200 rushing yards in the game.
 

Through the air, Rose finished 12-for-21 passing for 155 yards, while Creighton Wise chipped in a 2-for-4 day passing.
 
On the receiving end, senior Trey Johnson became Rochester's all-time receptions leader with 137 for his career after fishing Saturday's contest with six catches for 72 yards. Johnson passes J.J. Vanderstyne '08, for the all-time lead, also continuing his ascent up the career receiving yardage chart, now sitting in ninth place in team history. Additionally, Aidan Papantonis hauled in four catches for 35 yards for the 'Jackets.
 
UR's strong defensive effort started on the games opening drive, with a bad snap leading to a blocked punt deep in SRU territory. Andy Talone was in on the blocked kick, with J.B. Mills scooping and returning the ball eight yards to the Seahawk 11-yard line.
 
Rochester couldn't capitalize though, with the Yellowjackets missing a short field goal later on the drive.
 
Salve Regina went 3-and-out on its next possession, but again Rochester's offense couldn't capitalize. Three Rose pass attempts fell incomplete inside the Salve Regina 30-yard line, with UR turning the ball over on downs.
 
Early in the second quarter, Rochester broke through for the game's opening score. The Yellowjackets used a balanced attack on the drive, with Zheng rushing up the middle from 7-yards out to put UR up 6-0. Jordan Laudani added the extra point for the Yellowjackets.
 
UR's next drive started at its own 11-yard line. Chunk gains from the Papantonis brothers along with Johnson through the air helped lead to an 11-play, 89-yard drive which covered over six minutes of game time. The drive ended with Rose rushing up the left side for an 8-yard score.
 
SRU charged up the field on its next drive, threatening to enter the red zone, but Tawa erased that chance, earning his third interception of the season in the endzone, turning the ball back over to the Yellowjackets with the touchback.
 
Neither team could get their offenses going in the third quarter and with just 15 minutes left on the clock, Rochester still held the 14-0 lead.
 
Early in the fourth, Salve Regina was mounting another decent drive when a QB hit from Joe DeBonis forced altered Padraig Brown's pass over the middle of the field. Santos was right there and reaped the reward, picking off the pass and scampering up the sideline for a 65-yard interception return touchdown.
 
Santos' interception TD was the first for a Rochester player since Jack Yensel went 39-yards for a touchdown off a pick in the 2021 season against Hartwick.
 
Following a long return to near midfield by SRU's Keith Sutton, Brown tried a long pass deep into Rochester territory on the next play from scrimmage. The ball sat in the air and Thomas camped under it for a second straight interception, eventually returning the ball 36-yards to the UR 46-yard line.
 
The turnover led to points once again, with UR rushing seven straight times for 54 total yards, ending with D. Papantonis' third rushing touchdown of the season from four yards out. The graduate student contributed five carries for 38 yards on the drive.
 
With under seven minutes left, Salve Regina mounted a long drive to avoid the shutout. On a 2nd-and-10 from the Rochester 25-yard line, the Yellowjackets were expecting a pass as the Seahawks were in the hurry-up offense. Justan Luzzi ended up rushing the ball up the middle for the score.
 
Chris DiBella's point after attempt was blocked, as J.T. Monahan broke through the line of scrimmage. The blocked kick was the third of Monahan's career, moving him into a tie for third all-time in team history.
 
Salve Regina attempted an onside kick looking to get the ball right back, but the kickoff was corralled by Johnson, with Zheng and the Yellowjacket offense being able to run out the remaining 2:20 on the clock.
 
Up next, Rochester closes out its non-conference slate at home on Saturday with a 1 pm matchup against the University of New England.