DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University football lost 49-10 to Old Dominion Athletic Conference foe Randolph-Macon College during Saturday's Homecoming matchup on Daly Field at Frank R. Campbell Stadium.
Randolph-Macon (5-1, 3-0 ODAC), which made the NCAA national semifinals last season and is receiving votes currently in the D3football.com poll this year, built an early lead and capitalized on several key moments to pull away.
Randolph-Macon took an early 7-0 lead in with a 4-yard rushing touchdown with 8:13 on the clock for the first of three touchdowns in the opening period. The Yellow Jackets added a second score on a 1-yard rush on its next possession, then took advantage of an Averett fumble deep in the Cougars' territory, which led to another short rushing touchdown to put Randolph-Macon in front 21-0.
After the Yellow Jackets added another rushing touchdown early in the second quarter, Averett (2-4, 0-3 ODAC) finally broke through to get on the scoreboard. Set up by a long run by junior
Gaby Soto, the Cougars' drive stalled in Randolph-Macon territory. However, freshman kicker
Mikhail Iakovlev booted a 42-yard field goal to get Averett within 28-3 with 7:30 left in the second quarter.
Randolph-Macon got a hand on a punt deep in Averett territory, which led to a 24-yard touchdown pass just before halftime to push the Yellow Jackets' advantage to 35-3 by the break.
The Yellow Jackets added an 86-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter to extend their lead to 41-3. An interception by Randolph-Macon got the ball back for the Yellow Jackets near the third of the third, and they ran it in or another score on the final play of the period as Randolph-Macon increased its margin to 49-3 entering the fourth.
Despite the large deficit late, Averett never stopped battling. Freshman cornerback
Joziah Campbell picked off his conference-leading fourth interception, returning it 25 yards to the 10-yard line of Randolph-Macon. Two plays later, Soto danced through the middle for a 10-yard score to help Averett close within 49-10 with 11:55 remaining. However, the Cougars couldn't draw any closer the rest of the way.
Averett's defense was led by graduate linebacker
Tre' Maxwell's 10 tackles. Junior linebacker
Anthony Brunelli finished with nine tackles and freshman defensive end
Rocco Fazzolari's eight tackles. Sophomore defensive tackle
Chavis Martin had 1.5 sacks and a quarterback hurry.
Fifth-year receiver
Nick Andrews added four catches for 85 yards, including a long of 54.
Averett travels to Hampden-Sydney College on Oct. 26 for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
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