University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders Fall On The Road At Rhode Island, 12-10
KINGSTON, R.I. – The University of Richmond Spiders football team fell to the Rhode Island Rams, 12-10, in CAA action Saturday afternoon at Meade Stadium in Kingston, R.I. URI improved to 3-5 and 2-3 on the season, while Richmond fell to 2-5 and 0-3 with the loss.
QB Michael Strauss led the Spiders offensively as he threw 23-of-44 for 255 yards and one touchdown. RB Jacobi Green collected 68 rushing yards off of 19 carries and added a 25-yard touchdown reception, while WR Shane Savage led the receiving corps with 67 yards on a Richmond-best eight catches.
Defensively, DB Wayne Pettus had a pair of interceptions, while DB Justin Grant had one pick. LB Eric Wright led the team with nine tackles, while DL Evan Kelly tied a career-high with 1.5 sacks.
On the season, Richmond’s four losses have come on a combined 20 points, with three coming on the road.
Despite an early Rhode Island field goal to start the game, the Spiders came alive at the 6:33 mark when Green caught a 25-yard pass from Strauss for the first touchdown of the game. The drive consisted of four plays for 70 yards that ran 1:23 off the clock.
The Richmond defense played well in the first 30 minutes of the game, limiting Rhody to just a pair of field goals while forcing six punts. The Spiders’ interception streak was kept alive in the second quarter when DB Justin Grant picked off the URI quarterback to stop a Rams’ drive.
Grant, who recorded his first career INT last week at James Madison, extended the team’s streak to 17-straight games with at least one interception. At the half, Richmond took a 7-6 lead in to the locker room at Rhode Island.
After two-straight Rhode Island field goals to give the Rams the 12-10 lead at the start of the fourth, Pettus picked up his second interception of the game with 2:26 left at the Spiders’ 10-yard line that he returned for 37 yards.
The Richmond offense pushed the ball down field on its final drive of the game but was halted by a Spider fumble that Rhode Island recovered to seal the win.
The Spiders will return home to host Towson Saturday, Oct. 26 that will be broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet.