Football Wins

Volleyball Splits

For More Information Contact: Scott Musa, 540.665.5417

Football

WINCHESTER, Va. – The football team won its second consecutive game Saturday night at Shentel Stadium with a 31-13 Dixie Conference victory over Averett University .

Shenandoah (3-5, 3-2) won for the third straight time over fellow third year program Averett with its strongest rushing output of the season. The Hornets piled up 376 yards rushing on 57 plays and had two rushes better than 35 yards.

Junior Anthony McGhee (Reston, Va./South Lakes) led this effort with a season high 182 yards on 18 carries while senior Wes Karns (Martinsburg, W. Va./Glenville State) added 50 on six carries  to help the Hornets achieve their first win with freshman JJ Brown (King George, Va./King George) starting at quarterback. Brown, who replaced the injured Wayne Hogwood (Arlington, Va./Wakefield) last week in the win over Chowan, was 3 for 10 for 41 yards and a touchdown through the air.

Brown threw the touchdown pass on Shenandoah’s first offensive series of the game; he drove SU 41 yards on eight plays before hitting Karns on a nine-yard pass to give the hosts a lead they would never relinquish.

The Hornets made it 14-0 13 minutes later when senior Dennis Robart (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio/Potomac State) capped an 11 play, 58 yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run.

SU threatened to make it blowout two plays later when the defense scored a touchdown off of a turnover for the second straight week. On 2^nd and 10 from the Averett 26, AU quarterback Scott Swann saw the shotgun snap from center sail over his head and land inside the 10 yard line. The ball continued to roll until Shenandoah defensive back Kenny Weaver (Ruckersville, Va./William Monroe) fell on it in the endzone. Junior Morgan Linkenauger’s (Lanexa, Va./Lafayette) extra point then made the score 21-0 SU with 11:44 to play in the second quarter.

Averett (1-6, 0-4), which was held to just 211 yards in total offense (76 rushing, 135 passing) and committed four turnovers, stiffened up on defense and got itself back into the game by bookending two touchdowns around the halftime intermission.

The Cougars got on the board at the 3:06 mark of the second on a nine-yard TD pass to Matt Soyars from Swann and then made it 21-13 SU (the first extra point was missed) with 5:09 left in the third when Swann connected with Tracey Smithers for a six-yard TD pass. That play finished a 12 play, 60 yard drive.

Just as things got interesting, McGhee broke Averett’s hearts by ripping off a 56 yard run on 3^rd and 2 from the SU 33 to set up a 1^st down on the Averett 11. Linkenauger drilled a 20 yard field goal to give the Hornets a little breathing room four plays later.

McGhee then capped his fabulous night on the next offensive series by scoring the final touchdown of the evening on a 30 yard jaunt. McGhee punctuated the run by diving across the goalline from the 5.

Senior Greg Anderson (Clifton, Va./Robinson) had 11 tackles and sophomore Eddie Freeman (Ruther Glen, Va./Caroline County) nine to lead the defensive effort while Anthony Morris and Jermaine Moore both had 12 tackles for AU.

A complete box score and play by play can be found at http://www.su.edu/athletics/fb/2002/110202.htm

Shenandoah completes its non-conference schedule next Saturday afternoon at Utica (NY) College.

Women’s Volleyball

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – The volleyball team came back to achieve a split of its two matches Saturday afternoon by defeating Chowan College 3-1 (30-15, 19-30, 30-22, 30-27) in the Hornets final Dixie Conference regular season match of the season. SU (10-20, 5-9) had started Saturday’s play with a 3-1 (16-30, 30-26, 22-30, 24-30) loss to NC Wesleyan.

Shenandoah reached the 10 win plateau in its penultimate regular season match of the season with the victory over the Lady Braves (8-23, 3-11). The win also snaps a losing streak that had reached seven following the morning loss to NC Wesleyan (14-16, 3-10).

Sophomore Hannah Williams ( Salem , Va. /Glenvar) led the Hornets in the second match with a game high 17 kills to go along with 17 digs and four service aces. Junior Lesley Beard ( Youngstown , Ohio /Austintown Fitch) added 30 assists.

Freshman Caroline Crocker (Stanardsville, Va./William Monroe) had 10 kills in the Wesleyan match with senior Carly Higbee ( Catlett , Va. / Liberty ) 15 digs leading the defensive effort.

Complete box scores and plays by play can be found at http://www.su.edu/athletics/vb/2002/teamstat.htm

SU completes regular season play Tuesday evening at Randolph Macon College .

Shenandoah University offers 16 intercollegiate sports, eight for men and eight for women. For further information, please contact the Office of Athletic Communications at 540-665-5417 or visit our web site at http://www.su.edu/athletics. For Dixie Conference Information, please visit the Dixie Conference home page:

Shenandoah University is a comprehensive Level V private university with an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students in five schools: School of Arts & Sciences, Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business, Shenandoah Conservatory, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy and the School of Health Professions (Athletic Training, Nursing, Physician Assistant, Respiratory Care, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy). The University offers more than 60 programs of study at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels.