Second Half Surge Falls Short on Homecoming

Saturday, October 26

1 p.m.

University of Delaware

4-4 , 2-2

Richmond

4-4 , 3-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Richmond

Delaware

Photo by: Mark Campbell

10/26/2019 5:16:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score

NEWARK, Del. – The No. 19 Delaware football team came out of the half-time locker room, scoring 15-unanswered points to pull within three, but ultimately fell to Richmond Saturday afternoon at Delaware Stadium.

"Defensively, we struggled to get off the field, but we did fight our way back into the game," said head coach Danny Rocco. "It was really encouraging in the third quarter. WE made a run, we just couldn't quite get enough stops to really feel like we would be able to take control or take the lead in the football game."

The Spiders wasted no time, scoring in just over two minutes on their first possession of the game and again on their second to jump out to a 14-0 advantage.

The Blue Hens showed life with three plays of 15-plus yards leading to redshirt junior DeJoun Lee's plunge into the endzone from five yards out.

Senior Jake Roth added to Delaware's scoring in the half with a 32-yard field goal, but it was sandwiched by a pair of Richmond kick returns to give the Spiders a 28-10 lead at the break.

Lee opened the second half with a 39-yard kick return before redshirt senior found classmate Owen Tyler for 27 yards on the first play from scrimmage and redshirt freshman Will Knight broke free for a 29-yard score. Delaware went for the 2-point conversion and Kehoe found redshirt sophomore Thyrick Pitts over the middle.

Knight had his second-straight game of 100-plus yards with 101 on the ground on just 13 carries, while also leading Delaware in receiving with three catches for 45 yards.

The defense allowed a first down on Richmond's next drive, but held strong to force a punt and give the Blue Hens the ball on their own 20-yard line. It set up an impressive 16-play, 80-yard drive that ate up 7:45, capped-off when Kehoe found sophomore Bryce De Maille for a 14-yard score to make it 28-25.

Richmond answered with a long touchdown pass on the ensuing possession and was able to force a 3-and-out. It put together a nearly four-minute drive to open the fourth quarter, but back-to-back massive stops from sophomore Drew Nickles on third and fourth down turned the Spiders over.

It was the last momentum Delaware was able to get in a scoreless fourth quarter.

The Blue Hens will turn their attention to Towson for a CAA showdown on the road with the Tigers at 2 p.m. next Saturday.