(box score)
Widener went up against a strong Ithaca team and hung with them in the first half before being handed a 31-7 loss at Leslie C. Quick Jr. Stadium.
After a scoreless opening quarter, Ithaca (3-0) cracked the scoreboard with 10:42 left in the second when Rob Zappia hit Dan Ruffrage on a four-yard touchdown pass to cap a 46-yard drive. Andrew Rogowski hit the extra point and then booted a 28-yard field goal with 39 seconds remaining for a 10-0 halftime lead.
The Bombers struck pay dirt on their first possession of the second half when Ruffrage caught his second touchdown pass, a three-yard play from Zappia with 10:03 to go for a 17-0 contest. Morgan Abdelnour recovered a fumble for Ithaca at Widener's 14 yard line and Matt Crandall hauled in a five-yard scoring pass with 8:32 remaining in the third, making it 24-0.
Evan Bull capped the scoring for Ithaca with 1:59 left, catching a 17-yard pass for Zappia's fourth touchdown throw and a 31-0 game.
Widener (1-2) ruined the shutout with 11:19 to play, getting a three-yard touchdown run from Dante Pergolese (Havertown, PA) to end a 13-play, 81 yard drive. Freshman quarterback Colin Masterson (Swarthmore, PA) went 7-for-8 on the drive that included a 14-yard pass to junior Cedrick Clayton (Cinnaminson, NJ) and an 11-yard toss to sophomore Ben Petrak (Chadds Ford, PA).
Masterson completed 14-of-23 passes for 99 yards. Clayton and senior Michael Penna (Philadelphia, PA) each amassed four catches with senior Jon Natter (North Hills, PA) adding seven tackles.
Ruffrage ended with eight catches for 100 yards. Zappia completed 23-of-34 passes for 252 yards, with 153 of those coming in the first half on 13-of-23 attempts. Spence White and Eric Toporoff closed with six tackles apiece.
Ithaca, which received votes in this week's D3Football.com Top 25 Poll, closed with a 335-145 edge in total offense. This included a 261-103 margin in passing yards.
Widener next week has its first in-season bye week since 1967. It returns to the gridiron October 2 on Homecoming Weekend against FDU-Florham, beginning at 1:00 pm.
