Second Quarter Explosion Leads #22 Football To 31-3 Victory Over Lehigh

Saturday, September 11

Richmond, Va.

2 PM

University of Richmond

2-0

Lehigh

0-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Lehigh

Richmond

Photo by: Stephen Blue

Second Quarter Explosion Leads #22 Football To 31-3 Victory Over Lehigh

09/11/2021 | Football

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RICHMOND, Va. – The No. 22 University of Richmond football team scored four touchdowns in the second quarter in less than 13 minutes as the Spiders cruised to a 31-3 victory over visiting Lehigh Saturday afternoon at Robins Stadium. The Spiders improve to 2-0 on the year on the season heading into their Colonial Athletic Association Top 25 matchup on the road next week at No. 11 Villanova.

Richmond limited the Mountain Hawks to only 66 yards passing in the victory and only 224 yards of total offense. The Spiders recorded two interceptions and limited Lehigh to only 2-of-11 on third downs in the victory. Linebackers Tyler Dressler (Covington, Va.) and Phil O'Connor (Philadelphia, Pa.) tallied interceptions while Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.) led the way with 10 total tackles.

Defensive end Darius Reynolds (Yorktown, Va.) posted 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss while Kobie Turner (Clifton, Va.) added six tackles and a half sack.

Offensively, the Spiders rushed for 206 yards and recorded 358 total yards of offense. Redshirt sophomore Savon Smith (Winchester, Va.) led the way with 74 yards rushing on 12 carries while redshirt junior running back Aaron Dykes (Knoxville, Tenn. ) added 71 yards rushing on 12 carries. Dykes scored two touchdowns in the game for the second straight week, hauling in a seven-yard score and running in from two yards out. Dykes has four offensive touchdowns in the first two games, three rushing and one receiving.

Lehigh (0-2) scored its only points and the game's lone points in the first quarter, taking advantage of a Spider turnover converting a 42-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

The Spiders opened the second quarter with a 7-yard touchdown strike from Joe Mancuso (Blairsville, Va.) to Dykes. The score capped off a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ignited a 28-point second quarter. The defense forced a three-and-out and the Spiders quickly drove down the field. Mancuso connected with Isaac Brown (Winchester, Va.) on a 21-yard pass during the drive before Smith scored on a two-yard dive for the 14-3 lead.

The Spiders extended the lead to 21-3 with another short drive as the Spiders' defense forced a quick three-and-out. Mancuso highlighted the drive with a 31-yard run to the Lehigh 7-yard line and Dykes pounded home from 2-yards out.

Dressler intercepted the Mountain Hawks on the second play of the ensuing drive, setting the Spiders up inside the red zone. Mancuso and Leroy Henley (Pompano Beach, Fla.) connected on back-to-back passes, including a four-yard touchdown strike as Henley went up over his defender for the score. Kicker Jake Larson (Baltimore, Md.) scored the game's lone points in the second half, converting from 35-yards out for the 31-3 lead.

The Spiders held the Mountain Hawks scoreless over the final 49:53 of the game on defense, including O'Connor's first career interception in the fourth quarter as Lehigh was driving in the Spiders' territory. The Spiders are 2-0 on the season for the first time since the 2016 season when they opened with wins at Virginia and against Norfolk State.

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