RICHMOND GAME NOTES

11/17/07 4:35PM

- The following notes were taken from the Tribe's 31-20 loss at Richmond Saturday:

• With the loss, W&M finished the year at 4-7, its third consecutive losing season. The last time W&M had three-straight losing seasons was 1980 to 1982, which were head coach Jimmye Laycock’s first three seasons.

• The Tribe finished the season with a 2-6 mark in conference play, also the third-straight sub-.500 mark.

• With four-straight losses to end the season, it marked the second time in three years (2005) the Tribe ended a season with four consecutive defeats. W&M lost consecutive games to Villanova, James Madison, Delaware and Richmond to close 2005.

• Richmond won its third straight game in the series, giving the Spiders three-straight over the Tribe for the first time since 1971-73.

• With a 4-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, senior tight end Drew Atchison tied the school’s position record for scoring receptions. Atchison’s sixth of the season matched Mike Leach’s (1998-99) total in 1998.

• Redshirt freshman corner Ben Cottingham recorded his first career interception in the first quarter at the Tribe’s 2-yard line, then added his second career pick late in the first half and returned it 16 yards. Cottingham was the second Tribe defender to have two interceptions in a game this season (Derek Cox, vs. Towson).

• Junior wide receiver Elliott Mack set career-highs with 10 receptions and 201 yards receiving and also scored on a 5-yard rush. Mack was the first Tribe receiver to record a 200-yard receiving game since 2004, when Dominique Thompson (2001-04) set the school record with 244 yards at Delaware. Mack is also the first Tribe receiver to reach double-digit receptions since 2004, when current senior Joe Nicholas tallied 11 catches in a quarterfinal playoff victory over Delaware.

• Mack’s 201-yard receiving game is the sixth-best single-game performance in school history.

• With the 201 yards, Mack also set a career-high with 849 yards this season.

• Junior quarterback Jake Phillips posted his third 300-yard passing game of the season, finishing with 342 yards on 23-for-43 passing. With the effort, Phillips finished the season with 2,801 yards, which matches the eight-best single-season mark in school history, set by Stan Yagiello in 1984. Phillips’ 336 pass attempts is the ninth-best single-season total.

• With the touchdown pass to Atchison, Phillips brought his career total to 36, which is tied for seventh best in school history. Phillips matched Bud Lex’s (1946-49) career total. Phillips also surpassed the 5,000-yard mark for his career, reaching 5,128 yards passing which still stands fifth all-time.

• The punt block allowed by W&M was the third in the last two games, as JMU also blocked two punts against the Tribe last week.

• The seven sacks allowed by W&M were the most in a game since 2005, when the Tribe allowed six to JMU.