University of Virginia Library

Hokies Ease By
Stingy Defense, 6-0

By TOM BELL

The Cavaliers held the respected
Virginia Tech offense without a
touchdown Saturday but could not
score on the supposedly weak
Hokie defense, and went down to
their seventh defeat of the season,
6-0.

The expected offensive battle
turned into just the opposite, as
neither team crossed the goal line.
Only two field goals by Dave
Strock, the brother of Tech's
nation-leading quarterback, were
scored, as the Wahoo offense was
held without a touchdown for the
fifth time in nine outings.

The Cavaliers were within the
Gobbler 15-yard line four times,
but could only manage two field
goal attempts by Billy Maxwell.
The first attempt was wide to the
right, and the second was blocked.

"We beat ourselves," said a
dejected Don Lawrence after the
contest, which was billed as the
game of the year in the state and
drew 30,100 fans to Scott Stadium,
the largest crowd in years. Mr.
Lawrence had praise, however, for
the Wahoo defense, which held Don
Strock to only 175 yards in the air,
well below his weekly average.

The Cavaliers out gained the
Hokies by 60 yards for the
afternoon, and held them to 73
yards on the ground, but could not
get the yards in the clutch.

Kent Merritt ran for 121 yards
in 26 carries to lead the Cavalier
offense. Quarterback Larry Albert
completed 14 of 25 passes for 130
yards. Bill Davis had six receptions
for 45 yards, and Dave Sullivan had
four for 66 yards.

A Cavalier fumble early in the
game gave Tech a scoring
opportunity, but Dave Strock
missed a 44-yard field goal, after
which the Cavaliers took over and
marched 72 yards to the VPI eight
yard-line. On third and five, Albert
rolled to his left and threw across
the middle, where his pass was
picked off by Kevin Henry in the
end zone.

Tech then drove the ball to the
Cavalier 14 where Strock hit his
first field goal, a 31-yarder, with
2:31 left in the first period.

Midway through the second
period, after one Tech drive had
been thwarted by Steve Sroba's
interception, the Wahoos took a
punt at their own 26, and drove to
the Hokie 13 in 10 plays. The drive
stalled there, and on fourth and
three, Maxell's 30-yard try was
wide. Tech tried another field goal,
from 41 yards, minutes later, but it
fell short, and the half ended at 3-0.

The Hokies took the second half
kickoff and drove for the final
score of the day. They got to the
Wahoo 11, their deepest
penetration of the day, but there
the drive faltered, and on fourth
and nine, Strock booted a
30-yarder.

After the kickoff, the Cavaliers
drove to their deepest penetration
of the day, to the Gobbler five. The
drive included two first downs
which were picked up on fourth
down situations. Maxwell tried the
kick from 22 yards when the drive
stalled, but Tim Bosiack and Don
Sprouse rushed in to block it and
end the threat.

The Wahoos threatened twice in
the fourth quarter, but had to give
up the ball on downs both times.
The first time, Harrison Davis
slipped wile trying to round the
corner on a sweep on fourth and
inches at the Tech 13, and the final
time Albert's desperation pass to
Sullivan was overthrown on fourth
and eight from the 24 with 1:46 to
go.

The Gobblers then ran out the
clock to take their third victory of
the season.