BUFFALO, N.Y.— Down 23-3, the Buffalo State football team struck for two touchdowns and two interceptions in the fourth quarter to make it a one-score game, but were stopped at the six-yard line with a chance to take a late lead as 12th-ranked Union pulled away with a 30-17 victory in the Liberty League opener Saturday afternoon.
 
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: No. 12 Union – 30, Buffalo State – 17
LOCATION:  Coyer Field – Buffalo, N.Y.
RECORDS:  No. 12 Union (5-0, 1-0 Liberty), Buffalo State (0-4, 0-1 Liberty)
 
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• The defense picked off two William Bellamy passes in the fourth quarter, as sophomore defensive backs Justin Jones (Amherst, N.Y./Canisius) and Ethan Biscaro (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia) recorded the interceptions. Jones also finished with a career-high 14 tackles.
• Freshman Mike Gilinski (Buffalo, N.Y./West Seneca West) recorded a career-high 20 tackles,
• Junior quarterback Cam Sionko (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) threw for 69 yards on 8 of 20 attempts, throwing for a touchdown.
• Senior receivers Nas Jackson (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's) and Che'Kore Moore (Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls) connected on an 83-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
• Sophomore receiver Tariq Nelson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Boys and Girls) tallied one reception for 22 yards and a touchdown.
• Senior Omar Robinson (Arverne, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) rushed for 88 yards on 22 carries.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both teams were unable to score on their first two possessions, before Union struck first with a 17-yard touchdown pass from William Bellamy to Andre Ross, Jr.
• Union took a 14-0 lead in the second quarter, as Jonathan Anderson ran it in from six yards out after a nine-play, 44-yard drive.
• Buffalo State then got on the board on its next drive, as freshman kicker Nick Sciandra (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) made a 38-yard field goal to make it 14-3.
• After a sterling 42-yard punt by Union's Andrew Lau, the Dutchmen forced a safety on Buffalo State's first play from scrimmage, as Jimaar Edwards stopped sophomore running back Ale Wilson (Bronx, N.Y./KIPP College Prep) in the endzone for the 16-3 halftime lead.
• Union took a 23-3 advantage on its second drive of the second half, as Anderson rushed for a four-yard touchdown on a 4th-and-goal play.
• Buffalo State began the fourth quarter with a touchdown after a 14-play, 83-yard drive, as Sionko found Nelson with a 22-yard touchdown pass.
• On a 2nd-and-9 play in Union's next possession, Bellamy's deep pass downfield was picked off by Biscaro at the Buffalo State 17-yard line.
• On the Bengals first play from scrimmage after the turnover, Sionko passed it backwards to Jackson, who heaved a deep pass to an open Moore at midfield. Moore shook off the final tackler and sprinted 40 yards into the endzone for the Bengal touchdown as the squad trailed 23-17.
• The Bengals struck again with a key turnover, as Jones read the screen play and leaped in the air for an interception, taking the ball to the Union 10-yard line.
• With a chance to take the lead, Buffalo State was stopped four yards shy of the endzone, as Sionko's attempted pass to Jackson was broken up by Diavon Clements.
• Union then marched 81 yards down the field for the final score of the game late in the fourth quarter, as Irabor punched it in from five yards out.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Anderson rushed for 139 yards on the ground, scoring twice.
• Irabor also tallied 100 yards on the afternoon, rushing for 121 and a score.
• Bellamy completed 13 of 24 passes for 135 yards and a score, adding two interceptions.
• Union sacked Sionko six times, including 1.5 sacks for both Daniel Gioioso and Jimaar Edwards.
• Union outgained Buffalo State by a 403-212 margin overall, including a 268-60 margin on the ground.

 
NOTEWORTHY

• Gilinski's 20 tackles were just five short of the all-time record, set by Omar Rimlawi against Montclair State in 2000.

 
 
UP NEXT
Buffalo State will hit the road once again, traveling to Troy, N.Y. for a matchup against RPI, next Saturday at 12 p.m.