LEXINGTON, Va. - Trailing 17-13 with under two minutes to play, the
Presbyterian College football team was unable to get a stop as VMI scored a
late touchdown on third down, ensuring the 24-13 victory Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Hose now stand at 0-5 on the season and 0-1 in Big South Conference
play. VMI improves to 2-2 on the season and 1-0 in conference action.
"I am proud of our effort," head coach Harold Nichols said. "We played with
passion and energy. The defense made plays today. The linebackers played well
and moved around. LJ Perry and Derek Brown played hard. Overall, I'm proud of
the effort. Now we have a week off and will start preparing for Coastal
Carolina."
PC fell behind early as VMI took the opening kick-off and went 60
yards on 10 plays for a 7-0 lead. A quick three-and-out by the Blue Hose gave the
ball back to the Keydets, who marched 23 yards on seven plays. VMI kicked
a field goal, taking a 10-0 lead with 6:22 to play.
Trailing 10-0 in the first quarter, the Blue Hose got on the board when
sophomore Antarius Terrell picked off a pass and rumbled 15 yards into the
end-zone for the score. Terrell dropped back into coverage in the flat and
jumped up and to the right, snagging the pass from Cameron Jones. The extra
point made it 10-7 with 2:14 to play in the opening stanza.
After the Keydets gained possession, the home squad drove down to the 18-yard
line. Then, Damon Lawrence and CeeJay Harris stuffed VMI rusher Chaz Jones on a
third-and-short, forcing the field goal attempt. The kick missed wide right, keeping the score at 10-7.
PC was unable to move the chains, but Patrick Morgano flipped the field with a
career-long 64-yard punt. A holding penalty on the play pushed the Keydets back
to the eight. Morgano's punt was tied for the fifth longest in conference
history.
Cam Miller's 42-yard field goal with just under six minutes to play in the
first half knotted the score at 10 apiece. On VMI's ensuing possession, the
team went 59 yards on seven plays before reaching the end-zone on a short run
over the left side, making it 17-10 with 2:47 to play in the first half.
PC forced a three-and-out after Brandon Miley was intercepted on a tipped ball.
The Blue Hose regained possession with 27 seconds to play in the half. Lance
Byrd rushed 15 yards to the 30 and the Harold Nichols' led squad went into the
break trailing by a touchdown.
In the third quarter, PC received the ball to start the half. The squad picked
up one first down, but could not keep moving the chains, forcing Morgano to
trot back onto the field to punt it away.
The Blue Hose defense held after the Keydets neared midfield. PC's next
possession did not muster a first down and VMI took over on its own 47. The Keydets
drove to PC's 10 on a third-and-one. The quarterback dropped back, but Greg
Palmer leveled him, forcing a fumble. Brian Leonardi recovered the fumble,
giving the Blue Hose offense some life.
PC moved the ball to midfield before being forced to kick it away. However, the
PC defense stepped up, getting the ball back from the Keydets on a
three-and-out.
In the fourth, Michael Ruff took a hand-off from Myron Gary, ran to the far
side of the field and fired the ball back to Gary for a 44-yard gain to the
three-yard line. The Keydets' defense held the Blue Hose out of the end-zone,
but Miller remained perfect on the year with a 23-yard field goal to make
the score 17-13.
VMI received the ball on its own 29 with 10:29 to play. After a first down,
Harris forced the quarterback to throw wide of his intended target. The Blue
Hose forced another punt and started their drive on their own 24.
Byrd gained three yards up the gut before hitting the hole on his second carry
for a 33-yard gain to the VMI 40. The Blue Hose drive stalled and Morgano's
punt sailed inches into the end-zone, giving the Keydets the ball on the 20
with just over six minutes to play.
VMI marched down the field as the time ticked away. The Keydets added the late touchdown on a 12-yard pass with 1:20 to play for a 24-13
lead.
For the game, Byrd carried the offense with 68 yards on eight carries. Gary
completed eight passes for 49 yards while Ruff's completion went for 44.
Miller went two-for-two in field goal tries, hitting from 42 and 23 yards,
respectively. Defensively, Derek Brown posted a career-high 13 total tackles,
seven of which were solo. LJ Perry notched 10 stops, including seven solo
tackles. Jimmy Pruitt and Matthan Burton accounted for nine and eight tackles,
respectively.
The defense accounted for four sacks for 27 yards while the team had nine
tackles for loss. It also had three pass break-ups, had an interception and
forced a fumble.
The Blue Hose are off next week and return to action Saturday, Oct. 16 at 2
p.m. when they play host to Coastal Carolina on Homecoming.
