DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University junior Sean Bowman ran for 187 yards and two touchdowns in front of a packed Frank R. Campbell Stadium on Saturday evening, but the Cougars' comeback attempt ran out of time as reigning Old Dominion Athletic Conference champion Randolph-Macon College held off Averett 17-13 late in non-conference action.

Tied 7-7 at halftime, both teams dug their heels in for a defensive battle in the second half. After each team had their first two drives stall in the third quarter, Randolph-Macon quarterback Joe McBride guided the Yellow Jackets down the field to break the tie. On third down, McBride found tight end Sean McDonald running across the middle of the field in the end zone for a 14-yard score to put Randolph-Macon (2-0) in front 14-7 with 1:06 left in the frame.

Averett (0-2) had its ensuing possession halted, and Randolph-Macon took advantage. The Yellow Jackets pieced together a 14-play, 66-yard drive over nearly seven and a half minutes early in the fourth quarter to set up a field goal attempt. Chris Vidal nailed the 28-yard kick to increase Randolph-Macon's lead to 17-1 with 6:47 to play.

The Cougars didn't go away, however. Bowman's 39-yard run on the first play of Averett's next drive sparked the offense, which marched 71 yards on six plays. Bowman capped it off with his second touchdown of the day on a 5-yard run off the right edge with 4:58 remaining. The extra point was blocked, leaving the Cougars trailing 17-13.

Averett's defense came up with a big stop on third-and-2 to help get the ball back and give the Cougars an opportunity to win in the final minutes. Senior Don Warren stuffed Eric Hoy's run for a 2-yard loss, and Randolph-Macon punted from Averett's 38-yard line. The Cougars got an unlucky bounce on the punt and were pinned inside their own 2-yard line with 2:35 left in the fourth quarter.

Bowman got the Cougars out of the shadow of their own end zone with a 14-yard run to begin the possession, but the drive stalled from there. Back-to-back incompletions on third and fourth down sealed the win for Randolph-Macon as the Cougars turned the ball over on downs. The Yellow Jackets ran out the clock for their seventh victory over the Cougars in the series.

Sparked by junior Bradley Jefferson's interception in Randolph-Macon territory, Averett took an early 7-0 lead on Randolph-Macon in the first quarter. Bowman's 21-yard run set up a 9-yard touchdown scamper on the next play.

Randolph-Macon eventually tied the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter when McBride found Tre Frederick out of the backfield for a 2-yard score.

Both teams had their opportunities to add to the score. Randolph-Macon's second drive of the game ended with an Averett interception in the end zone by senior Kevin Norcott. The Cougars also had a promising drive stymied after a long pass to junior Marcus Terry deep into Randolph-Macon territory was erased by a penalty in the third quarter.

For Bowman, it was his seventh mult-touchdown game and his ninth 100-yard rushing performance. His 187 yards on the ground ranks as the third most in a single game in his career, behind a 199-yard game and a 194-yard game last season.

A crowd of 1,500 was on hand for Averett's home opener. The Cougars travel to Ferrum College next Saturday, but return home again on Sept. 23 against Methodist University.