The Union College football team suffered a decisive 35-14 defeat to first-place Ithaca at Frank Bailey Field, marking the seventh consecutive home loss to the Bombers. Despite commanding a 400-317 advantage in total yardage, the Garnet Chargers were unable to translate their offensive production into points, managing only two touchdowns against Ithaca’s efficient attack. The result extends Ithaca’s dominant streak in Schenectady, a venue where the Bombers have not lost since 2009, further cementing their status as a formidable force in the Liberty League.
Garnet Chargers’ 11 penalties and three turnovers doom bid against Liberty League leaders.
Discipline proved to be the decisive factor in the contest, as Union committed a season-high 11 penalties totaling 122 yards. These costly infractions gifted Ithaca favorable field position, allowing the visitors to sustain long, methodical touchdown drives that stretched the Garnet Chargers’ defense. Additionally, Union’s ball security issues compounded the problem, with three turnovers halting potential scoring opportunities and shifting momentum to the first-place squad.
Head coach Jon Drach acknowledged the team’s execution failures, stating, “I think we made a lot of mistakes and did not do the things we had to do to win a football game.” The loss drops Union to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play, signaling a critical need for improvement in penalty control and ball security. With the Liberty League standings tightening, the Garnet Chargers must rectify these fundamental errors to remain competitive in the latter half of the season.
Source: Yahoo Sports
