Alfred, N.Y. -- The football team (6-3, 3-2 Empire 8) closed out conference play with a 31-17 loss at Empire 8 champion Alfred (7-2, 4-0 Empire 8) Saturday. The Bombers wrap up their season at Cortland next Saturday in the annual Cortaca Jug game. The game has been sold out.

Senior quarterback Rob Zappia (Greece Athena/Rochester) threw for 287 yards and a pair of touchdowns -- both to senior wide receiver Dan Ruffrage (Utica Notre Dame/Whitesboro) as Ithaca rallied from deficits of 17-0 and 24-3 to pull within two scores.

Senior Thomas Vossler (Loon Lake/Saranac Lake) caught a team-leading seven passes and raised his career total to 136, breaking the school record set by Abe Ceesay (131 receptions from 1996 to 1999).

Ruffrage caught an eight-yard touchdown late in the second quarter and scored the game's final touchdown on a 17-yard reception midway through the third period.  Ruffrage finished with six receptions and his 97 career catches are good for eighth all-time at Ithaca. He's tied for ninth with 12 career receiving touchdowns.

Junior Andrew Rogowski (Canisius/East Amherst) kicked extra points after both touchdowns and opened Ithaca's scoring with a 34-yard field goal. With 106 extra points in his three-year career, he's tied for third on the program's all-time list.

Freshman Jared Prugar (York/York, Maine) was Ithaca's leading rusher, gaining a career-best 57 yards. He also caught a personal-high four passes.

Junior linebackers Eric Toporoff (Montville Township/Towaco, N.J.) and Ryan Clarke (Archbishop Spaulding/West Friendship, Md.) led Ithaca with 11 and 10 tackles, respectively. Clarke was in on four tackles for loss and forced a fumble on a Saxon who was just about to cross the goal line (Ithaca gained possession when the ball rolled out of the end zone). Toporoff and senior end Matt Dibble (Columbia/East Schodack) added two tackles for loss apiece.

Junior cornerback Spence White (Yonkers/Sleepy Hollow) made seven stops and broke up a pair of passes. Junior cornerback Mike Conti (Daniel Hand/Bradford, Conn.) set up Zappia's second touchdown pass with an interception -- his team-best fifth of the season and the eighth of his career.

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