Box Score Box Score
NEWARK, Del. - LaRonn Lee caught for 111 yards and one touchdown, and Rondell White amassed 152 all-purpose yards, but West Chester University came up just short against Division I-FCS power Delaware on the road in front of 19,593 fans at Delaware Stadium Saturday night.
Lee's 14-yard pass from Matt Carroll with 10:56 remaining in the game pulled the Golden Rams within four at 21-17. However, Delaware running back Andrew Pierce broke free for a 44-yard TD run 46 seconds later to seal the deal and avert a major upset in college football.
For the game, West Chester registered more first downs (21) than Delaware (20) and racked up more yards of total offense than the eighth-ranked team in Division I-FCS (360-315). But, the Division II underdogs could not come back from a 21-0 hole it dug for itself in the first quarter.
Pierce finished with 123 yards rushing and a pair of scores for the Blue Hens.
Delaware opened the scoring on a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown midway through the first quarter. Pierce doubled the margin with a 7-yard scamper with 34 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. Then, the Blue Hens capitalized on another West Chester miscue when the Rams fumbled at their own 28-yard line on the very first play from scrimmage following Pierce's TD. Mark Schenauer was wide open for a 28-yard strike from quarterback Tim Donnelly to close out Delaware's big first quarter.
West Chester answered back in the second quarter when Rondell White ran in from two yards out 1:31 into the frame. That ended a personal shutout streak by Delaware's defense in the series of 143 minutes that spanned nine quarters. That scoring play was set up by a 64-yard pass from Sean McCartney to Lee that put the ball down on the Blue Hens' 2-yard line.
Shawn Leo kicked a 27-yard field goal three minutes before halftime to send the Rams into the locker room down, 21-10.
