St. John Fisher College has named #Andy Episcopo# of the football team as the College’s Male Athlete of the Week for the week ending November 2, 2008. Episcopo was also named as the Empire 8 Conference Defensive Player of the week for his efforts.
In the Cardinals 17-10 win over host Utica College on Saturday, Episcopo was the Cardinals’ leading tackler, recording 12 stops in a record-setting defensive performance. The Cardinals allowed just 73 total yards on 43 offensive plays, the lowest total in the program’s 22-year history.
After the Cardinals got on the board in the first quarter with 23-yard field goal, the defense came through with a huge play to give the Cardinals a 10-point cushion early in the second quarter.
On a second down pass deep in Utica territory, #Josh Gottlieb# jarred the ball loose from a Pioneer receiver with a punishing tackle. Episcopo, who was also in coverage on the play, scooped up the ball and rumbled 20 yards down the right sidelines to paydirt.
The junior linebacker ranks second on the team this season with 58 tackles, including 30 solo stops. He also ranks second on the team with 7.5 tackles-for-loss (minus 16 yards), and four passes defended.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 6-3 overall, 4-1 in the Empire 8, and are now in first place in the conference standings. Fisher also secured its seventh consecutive winning season, the longest streak in College history.
Fisher will be idle this weekend, but will wrap up the regular season with a critical Empire 8 showdown at Alfred University November 15.
