Oct. 28, 2006
Stats
KINGSTON, R.I. -- Colin Gallagher's 47-yard field goal in the second quarter proved to be the difference on a blustery, rainy day at Meade Stadium, as URI downed #15 Maine, 3-0, in Atlantic 10 football action.
With the win, Rhode Island improves to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the A-10, while the Black Bears drop to 5-3 overall and 4-1 in the conference.
Gallagher's boot with 10:41 to play in the first half was the only score, as weather played a major factor in this afternoon's contest. Winds of up to 50 mph, along with steady rain, made the field conditions especially harrowing. But Rams head coach Tim Stowers had prepared his team this week for the potential for inclement weather.
"We warned our team all week that the conditions could be torrential rains and winds." Stowers said. "I'm proud of the way our team responded to it. In fact, they looked forward to it. This afternoon's win showed a lot of character on their part."
The first three plays of the game resulted in punts - two by Rhody and one by the Black Bears - before Maine had an 11-play, 56 yard drive over a 5:00 span, down to the Rhody eight-yard line. Maine's Devin McNeill missed his 25-yard field goal attempt at the end of the first quarter, wide right.
URI set up Gallagher on the first possession of the second quarter, with the 47-yarder capping off a 14-play, 50 yard drive.
"I'm fortunate the kick came in the first half, when the field was somewhat dry and flat." Gallagher said. "It was a great snap and hold, so I just tried to get it out there straight and let the wind take it."
From that play on, Stowers knew that his team had more than just a three-point advantage.
"With the field conditions and weather, a 3-0 lead was bigger than it seemed." he explained. "It was going to be difficult to come back. That, along with limiting our turnovers out there, made a big difference."
URI's Joe Casey, who rushed 22 times for 66 yards, knew that turnovers would be a factor because of the conditions.
"I tried to keep two hands on the ball as I went into the tackle box and made sure to emphasize that we couldn't turn the ball over out there today." Casey said. "It got worse and worse out there as the game went on."
Maine began the second half with the ball and was driving into Rhody territory. After UM quarterback Ron Whitcomb ran for two years, down to the URI 28, he threw an incomplete pass to Manzi Pierre, making it 3rd and 8. Rhode Island's Raji El-Amin picked off Whitcomb's 4th down pass attempt, returning it 10 yards.
URI went three-and-out and the Black Bears began on their own 20 with 7:28 left in the third quarter. Again they moved the chains down the field, this time on a nine play, 53-yard drive. But Whitcomb's fumble on 4th and 3 was recovered by URI's Kirk Blackmon on the Rams' 27-yard line.
Rhode Island committed its lone turnover on its next drive, as quarterback John Butler threw a pass, with eight ticks remaining in the quarter, that was picked off by Maine's Jonathan Calderone at the UM 20.
So far this season, Rhode Island has struggled in the fourth quarter, being outscored 66-10 by the opposition. It was a fact not lost on the Rhody defensive corps.
"We haven't played well in the fourth quarter of games this season, but as a team we dug deep and pushed forward." Stowers explained.
However this afternoon, the Rhody defense forced Maine to turn the ball over on downs in three of its four possessions, while forcing a punt on the other.
"In the last 15 years, Rhode Island football teams have not played well in their last four games of every season. That spans back over a few coaching staffs." Stowers commented. "I think it's eight wins out of 60. We have four of them and we let the team know that; that they had a chance to help make history out there. This is the first shutout our defense has earned this season and we got it with from a field goal from Gallagher, who was slumping a bit. This was a great win and an overall total team effort."
The Rams return to action next week, when they travel to Hempstead, N.Y. to face Hofstra on Nov. 4. Kickoff is set for Noon and the contest can be heard live on WHJJ 920 am and WJZS 99.3 FM, as Steve McDonald and Terry Lynch bring you the call of the action.
