WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — The Holy Cross football team rolled past William & Mary at Walter J. Zable Stadium, defeating the Tribe 41-14 on Saturday, Oct. 3 for the Crusaders' second win in a row.
Sophomore running back
Joseph Williams rushed for 111 yards and a score, while also totaling 39 receiving yards. Junior quarterback
David Lynch connected with junior receiver
Ty Curran for two touchdowns, with Lynch totaling 186 passing yards on the day and Curran hauling in 65 yards. Junior running back
Datrell Jones recorded 77 yards on the ground and his first touchdown of the season.
The Crusader defense had its best outing of the year with 10 tackles for loss, including six sacks, and two forced fumbles; Holy Cross held the Tribe to just 31 yards on the ground. Junior defensive end
Cooper Ackerman had 2.5 TFLs, including 1.5 sacks, with five total tackles on the day. Junior linebacker
Jalen Rambert recorded a team-high six tackles; sophomore linebacker
Tyler Georgs and junior defensive lineman
Brady Fodor each finished with five tackles and a TFL. Senior
Garrett Baldwin had a pair of fumble recoveries and a pass breakup.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lynch capped the Crusaders' opening drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Curran, giving Holy Cross a 7-0 lead with 9:36 left in the first.
- The Tribe immediately responded with a 75-yard touchdown on their first offensive play, tying things up at 7-7.
- Sophomore placekicker Owen Saraceno made a career-best 40-yard field goal to give the Crusaders a 10-7 lead with 5:04 remaining in the first.
- Freshman Julian Jones forced a fumble that Baldwin recovered at the William & Mary 28-yard line late in the opening quarter. Williams scampered for a two-yard touchdown run to open the second quarter, extending the Crusader advantage to 17-7.
- A staunch defensive effort, highlighted by a 12-yard sack by senior edge Carlo Crocetti, forced the Tribe to attempt a 53-yard field goal — which they missed, keeping the 10-point Crusader lead intact.
- The William & Mary punter mishandled a snap, leading to a turnover on downs and placing the Crusaders at the three-yard line. Croce took a pair of direct snaps, leading to a score and a 24-7 advantage with 6:19 left in the second.
- Sophomore Anthony Redfern picked off a William & Mary pass on the opening drive of the second half, helping set up another touchdown for Curran — a seven-yard score, making it 31-7 with 11:27 left in the third.
- The Tribe got on the board again with a 28-yard touchdown pass with 3:25 left in the third.
- Datrell Jones ran for a 12-yard touchdown, extending the Crusader lead to 38-14, with 5:46 left. On the ensuing kickoff, sophomore Daniel Leupold forced a fumble on the return, which Baldwin recovered to give Holy Cross the ball back at the 27-yard line. Saraceno would later connect on a 39-yard field goal, extending the lead to 41-14 with 4:46 to go.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Curran has scored four touchdowns in his last two games and is tied for the team lead in touchdown receptions.
- Redfern's interception was the first of his career.
- Saraceno's field goals were the two longest of his career.
- The Crusaders improve to 3-0 all-time against William & Mary, winning the inaugural Patriot League matchup between the two programs. The teams previously had not met since the 1987 season.
- Holy Cross has won 22 of its last 25 Patriot League road contests.
UP NEXT:
- The Crusaders will have a bye week before heading to No. 22 Harvard on Oct. 17.
- Kickoff in Cambridge is set for 1 p.m.
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