Fourth-Ranked UMass Survives Tribe's Upset Bid With 48-34 Win

Tribe Forces Four Turnovers, Phillips Throws and Runs For a Score in Loss

10/27/07 6:15PM

WILLIAMSBURG - Matt Lawrence rushed for three touchdowns in a big second half for fourth-ranked Massachusetts, as the Minutemen survived an upset bid by William and Mary with a wild 48-34 victory Saturday afternoon at Zable Stadium.

Lawrence ran for a career-high 186 yards on 34 attempts and kept UMass (7-1, 5-0 CAA) perfect in conference play with two rushing scores in the final four minutes.

W&M (4-4, 2-3 CAA) built a 24-13 lead with 6:36 remaining in the third quarter on Jake Phillips’ (Warm Springs, Va.) 1-yard keeper, before UMass stormed back with 21 points in just over six minutes. Phillips rushed for a season-high 49 yards and also threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Drew Atchison (Charlottesville, Va.) in the first half.

After Phillips’ scoring run, the Tribe defense, led by Michael Pigram’s (Hopewell, Va.) 14 tackles, stuffed a fake punt attempt near midfield, building even more momentum in front of a Homecoming crowd of 10,178. W&M regained possession at the UMass 48 and moved inside the 20 on an 11-yard scamper by Phillips, but a missed field goal, the Tribe’s fourth of the game, left the margin at 24-13.

UMass wasted little time in capitalizing on another missed opportunity for the Tribe, as Liam Coen and Lawrence ripped off a 75-yard scoring drive on just five plays. Coen, who passed for 218 yards and three touchdowns, found Michael Omar for 15 yards on first down, before Lawrence slipped through the middle for a 28-yard gain. Coen added a 13-yard pass to J.J. Moore, and Lawrence capped the march with an 11-yard run to cut the deficit to 24-20 with 1:35 remaining in the third.

A Tribe fumble at its own 38-yard line on the next series gave it right back to UMass. The Minutemen needed only two plays to find the end zone, as Lawrence gained 25 on the first down, before Tony Nelson scored on a 13-yard run to give UMass a 27-24 lead just 1:32 into the fourth.

It continued to go downhill for the Tribe, as W&M lost another fumble on the ensuing kickoff with UMass’ Anthony Rouzier recovering at the Tribe’s 22-yard line. Lawrence carried on three consecutive plays for a total of 14 yards, before Coen lofted an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ian Jorgensen in the back left corner of the end zone to extend the Minutemen lead to 34-24 with 11:16 remaining.

A quick three-and-out by W&M followed, and it looked as if UMass would open up what once was a close game controlled by the Tribe. But, on the visitor’s next possession, Pigram scooped a fumbled handoff attempt by Coen and raced 42 yards for a touchdown to once again ignite the home crowd. The Tribe’s second defensive touchdown of the season cut the deficit to 34-31 with 9:26 to play.

Josh Rutter (Union Bridge, Md.) turned in another huge defensive play when UMass got the ball back, forcing a Lawrence fumble on the very first snap of the next Minutemen possession. Rutter picked up the same fumble he forced, the Tribe’s fourth gained turnover of the game, and returned it 22 yards to the UMass 2-yard line.

W&M would have to settle though for a 20-yard Brian Pate (Fredericksburg, Va.) field goal, which left the contest tied, 34-34, with 7:31 remaining.

Despite the quick turn of events, Coen and Lawrence would atone for their miscues, and UMass continued its strong second-half performance with a nine-play, 61-yard scoring drive that put the Minutemen in front to stay. Coen completed a 9-yard pass to Lawrence to start the drive, then hooked up with Moore on a 21-yard pass play. An 8-yard toss to Omar put the ball at the Tribe 18, and Lawrence covered the rest of the distance on three consecutive carries, scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard run with 3:46 remaining.

W&M regained possession at its 20, and Phillips started the drive with a 14-yard pass to Atchison, but after three-straight incompletions, Phillips was sacked on fourth down at his own 22.


UMass turned to Lawrence once again to secure the win, as he carried six times, eventually scoring on a 7-yard run with 35 seconds remaining to set the final margin.

Lawrence’s two late scores and UMass’ 28 fourth-quarter points overshadowed what was an encouraging afternoon for a young Tribe defense, an effort that included interceptions by Pigram and defensive end Adrian Tracy (Sterling, Va.).

At the start though, it looked like the fourth-ranked team in the nation would have little trouble, as Coen connected with Rasheed Rancher for a 60-yard touchdown on the first offensive snap of the game.

But, W&M answered with a 10-play, 42-yard drive that ended with Pate’s career-long 48-yard field goal. The Tribe would later capitalize on a high punt snap, and Tony Viola’s (Broadway, Va.) 1-yard touchdown run gave W&M its first lead, 10-6, late in the opening quarter.

Coen hooked up with Rancher again in the second on a 7-yard touchdown pass that gave the Minutemen a 13-10 lead, but Phillips’ 5-yard scoring pass to Atchison sent the Tribe into the break with a 17-13 advantage.

Atchison finished with six catches for 65 yards, and Phillips also had a 25-yard reception on a pass from wide receiver R.J. Archer (Charlottesville, Va.). Archer also had three receptions for 24 yards.

Courtland Marriner (Chesapeake, Va.) led a solid rushing attack with 86 yards on 21 attempts. Phillips gained 72 yards running on the afternoon, but finished with the net of 49.

W&M continues CAA play next weekend, visiting Hofstra at 1 p.m.

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