University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
#rv Albany
Blue Hen Football Uses Big Third Quarter, Dominant Rushing Attack To Post 31-28 Road Win at Albany
11/8/2014 6:36:00 PM | Football
Delaware, which defeated the Great Danes by just three points for the second straight season, will look to stay in playoff contention next week when the Blue Hens head to No. 2 ranked New
Hampshire, which improved to 9-1 and stayed unbeaten in CAA play with a 41-14 victory over Rhode Island earlier Saturday. “We are thrilled that our players have the opportunity to go play a big-time opponent and play another meaningful football game in November,” said Brock of the team's trip to Durham, N.H. next Saturday. “That is one of the goals when you start the season.”
After falling behind 14-7 at halftime, the Hens dominated the pivotal third quarter to take control. It all started on a fake field goal with 10:52 left in the stanza when Delaware All-American punter and placement holder Eric Enderson picked up the snap, rolled to his right, looked for a receiver, and finally ran around the right side and into the end zone from two yards out for his first career touchdown to knot the score at 14-14.
“It was a cool experience,” said Enderson of his first career touchdown. “I'm just glad that Coach Brock had the confidence in me to run the play. I was looking to throw but both receivers were covered so I knew I had to get it done. It's only a great call if we make it.”
A botched snap on a punt attempt by Albany on the next possession also resulted in good things for the Blue Hens. Albany punter Jon Martin finally chased down the errant snap and was tackled on his own 16-yard line.
Delaware took possession and scored on its first play as quarterback Trent Hurley threw a bullet to Jerel Harrison (below left) for a 16-yard score as Delaware took the lead for good at 21-14 with 9:11 left. 
The Hens then made it 28-14 on their next possession when Wes Hills scored on a four-year run to cap a 47 yard drive that used up just over five minutes.
But Albany refused to give in and used a strong fourth quarter to get back into the game. Albany quarterback Will Fiacchi, who threw for 335 yards and four touchdowns, hit Josh Gontarek on a 29-yard scoring strike on the first play of the final quarter to cut the margin to 28-21.
Both teams were stopped on their next possessions but the Blue Hens came through on their next chance when they took possession at the Albany 49-yard line and used up 5:47 off the clock before Greenway's 31-yard field goal pushed the UD margin to 31-21.
Albany came right back and cut the Delaware lead to 31-28 when Fiacchi and Gontarek hooked up a gain, this time on a 19-yard scoring pass with 33 seconds left. That set the stage for the wild final seconds.
Jalen Randolph led the Blue Hen rushing attack with 104 yards and a one-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter that put the Hens up 7-0. Hills finished with 79 yards rushing on 12 carries while Hurley hit on 18 of 24 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, defensive end Derrick Saulsberry led the way with two quarterback sacks and a pass breakup.
For Albany, Fiacchi completed 22 of 35 passes for 335 yards and four touchdowns while Gontarek hauled in six passes for 118 yards and two scores. Fiacchi also threw scoring passes of 16 yards to Cole King and 38 yards to Nic Ketter in the second quarter to help the Great Danes go up 14-7 at the break.
Hen Scratchings
• Delaware played a game in New York for the first time since 2008 and won within the state borders for the seventh straight time since 1968
• The Hens have now scored in the first half in nine straight games and in 69 of the last 70 games since 2009
• Randolph, who was named to the CoSIDA District 2 All-Academic team earlier this week, posted his fourth career 100-yard rushing game
• Hurley became just the fourth player in school history to surpass 6,000 career passing yards and now has 6,052 yards in three seasons
• Delaware scored a point for the 151st straight conference game since 1996
• In addition to his touchdown, Enderson averaged 47.5 yards on four punts, including a season-long 69-yarder and one that was downed on the Albany one-yard line in the fourth quarter
• Senior WR Michael Johnson caught six passes for 52 yards and caught a pass for the 33rd straight game
