University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Villanova
Villanova Rallies Past Spiders
09/29/2001 | Football
Sept 29, 2001
RB David Edwards 2-yard TD run in 1st quarter
Edwards 4-yard TD run in 3rd quarter
WR Boyd Ouden 74-yard TD reverse run
QB Sean Gustus 5-yard TD run in 4th quarter
DE Steve Boyer knocks down pass in 4th Quarter
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. -
A season of 'almosts' continued for the Richmond Spiders Saturday. Playing its home and Atlantic 10 opener, 17th ranked UR led 14th ranked Villanova 30-15 in the fourth quarter before the Wildcats rallied for an improbable triumph. The setback is Richmond's third straight to start the season - by a total of eight points - including two to 1-A opponents.
Brett Gordon threw for 376 yards and four touchdowns as
Villanova capped a 16-point rally for a 31-30 victory, the Wildcats fourth straight at UR Stadium.
A 30-yard field goal by Casey Hannon with one second left in the game
brought the lead and the win for Villanova (3-0, 2-0 Atlantic 10),
after 8- and 35-yard passes from Gordon to Shaz Brown and Cameron Cross in the
last eight minutes.
Richmond (0-3, 0-1 Atlantic 10) had led 30-15 with 11:39 left in the fourth quarter, on runs from David Edwards (two touchdowns), Boyd Ouden and Sean Gustus. The Spiders rushed for 335 yards, and held the ball for 39:49, but failed on a fourth-and-two attempt at Villanova's 25-yard line, their first failure in seven fourth-down attempts.
The Wildcats' Shaz Brown caught nine passes for 123 yards and two
touchdowns. National Player of the Year candidate Brian Westbrook was held to just 19 yards rushing, but caught seven passes for 128 yards.
Richmond was led by junior Sean Gustus was the game's leading rusher with 81 yards, while completing 11 of 15 passes for 114 yards.
"Sean was terrific," said Richmond head coach Jim Reid. "We just needed one more first down at the end of that fourth quarter to keep the ball away from them. And, we didn't make the big play defensively when we needed to."
"It really looked bleak for us, especially with the Richmond offense, and
the way they drain the clock," Villanova coach Andy Talley said. "Somehow we
found a way to get it done."
The Spiders travel to Maine for a 7pm game next Saturday while Villanova returns home for an afternoon contest against James Madison.
