University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Towson
Richmond Overpowers Towson, 24-0
11/06/2004 | Football
Nov. 6, 2004
RICHMOND, Va. - An efficient offense and staunch defense proved an effective combination as Richmond Football snapped a five-game losing skid and earned its first shutout since Oct. 26, 2002 with a 24-0 blanking of Towson in an Atlantic 10 Conference contest at UR Stadium.
Junior quarterback Stacy Tutt once again engineered the attack, eclipsing the 200-yard passing mark for the third consecutive week, with 202 on 16-for-29 passing. The Tappahannock, Va. native tossed three touchdown passes, including a 17-yard score in the second quarter to Harry Wilson who finished the game with five catches for 122 yards.
The Spider defense allowed just 223 total yards, a season best, and forced four turnovers. Sophomore Lance Gray notched his fourth game with double-digit tackles this season (10) as well as making his first career interception and fumble recovery. The Richmond native made three tackles for loss and broke up three passes.
A scoreless first quarter saw both teams advance inside its opponents' five yard line without capitalizing. Freshman Carter Ball missed his first field goal of the season (20 yards) after making his first five attempts. Stephen Howell and Adam Goloboski forced a fumble that Gray recovered on the Spider three on Towson's first drive.
Ball atoned for the miss later in the second quarter with a 26-yard chip shot with 1:39 to play. The Spiders took the 10-0 lead into the locker room at the break.
In the third quarter, Tutt completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Jake Schools (10:19) and an eight-yarder to Brandon Neuman (6:13) to complete the scoring. It was Neuman's second consecutive game with a TD reception and capped a 10-yard drive set up by Joe Mallory's fourth interception of the season which he returned 59 yards.
Anthony Melzi made his first start of the season for Towson (3-6, 0-6 A-10), replacing Andrew Goldbeck who was suspended for the game. Melzi was 19-for-42 for 137 yards and three interceptions.
The Spiders host their final home game next Saturday at 1 p.m. against Delaware.
NOTES: Tutt's 202 yards passing moved him into eighth on Richmond's single-season rushing chart with 1,846 ... The Spiders snapped a nine-game streak with at least one interception thrown ... It was the first time Richmond had three interceptions since Nov. 23, 2002 at William & Mary ... This was the first all-time meeting between these two programs.
