University of Virginia Library

Cavayearlings Win

By John Markon

Further embellishing their
reputation as one of the East
Coast's top first-year squads,
Virginia's talented Cavayearlings
stormed to a 40-18 win over VMI
Saturday night in Lexington.

Striking early and finishing up
strongly, Coach Al Groh's squad
was able to take a third quarter
slump in stride and keep the game
well under control. Throughout the
game it was a story of Virginia
moving the ball well and the Rats
trying to stay close and be
opportunistic.

By the advent of the third
quarter, however, VMI was in need
of more than just a few breaks. It
took Virginia only thirty seconds to
score its initial touchdown as the
defensive line swarmed over Rat
quarterback Dallas Norman, forcing
a fumble and setting up a seven
yard canter by Kelly Millard.

After serious scoring threats by
both teams were stymied the
Cavayearlings scored again later in
the period, a 38-yard aerial from
Harrison Davis to Steve Sroba
keying a 65-yard march that
culminated in a seven yard
touchdown run by Kent Merritt.

The second quarter was
predominantly defensive in nature
but, with only 27 seconds on the
clock. Virginia began another drive.
Quarterback Davis, playing his best
game of the season, hit on three
consecutive passes and found Ed
Sabornie open for a 23-yard scoring
strike just before the gun sounded.

The momentum swung to VMI
in the action immediately following
halftime. A fumble of the kickoff
by Merritt led to the Rats' first score
and a high snap from center that
caused a poor Maxwell punt led to
their second tally. Norman, who
amassed 131 yards passing, threw
for both touchdowns.

The Cavayearlings, now angered,
wasted little time in putting the
game away. Davis and Sroba
combined on a ten-yard scoring
pass to cap a drive highlighted by a
38-yard run by Merritt.