BY ROCK HOFFMAN
College Football Editor
A strong ground attack and dominating defense propelled No.6 Villanova to a 24-10 win over Long Island University on Goodreau Field at a misty Villanova Stadium on Saturday night. As a team, the Wildcats (4-1, 1-0 CAA) ran for 264 yards with David Avit getting 160 of them. His teammate Isaiah Ragland had a pair of scoring runs while Avit added one of his own. The Sharks (0-5) had just 176 yards of offense and lost a muffed punt and a fumble while going one-of-nine on third-down conversions.
“We have a lot of older guys on defense,” said Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante, after his team won their 12th home game in a row, “so I think they’re playing a little more consistent than the other side of the ball.”
The Wildcats took the opening kickoff and deftly mixed the run and pass - with a 45-yard catch and run by Jaylan Sanchez the big play – to move the ball to the Sharks’ 10-yard line. However, the drive stalled, and Villanova had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Ethan Gettman.
The ‘Cats were the beneficiaries of a muffed punt and took over at the LIU 19. It took them three plays to get into the end zone with Ragland running around the left end for a 12-yard score.
After Villanova punted and turned the ball over on downs on back-to-back possessions, it took a third-down conversion late in the half to spur them to more points. On third-and-nine from his own 31, Connor Watkins completed a pass over the middle to Devin Smith that was good for 18 yards. Later in the drive, Watkins ran for 16 yards to give the "Cats a first down in the red zone. Two plays later, he kept the ball again and crashed into the Sharks' JoJo Garcia coming up one yard short of the end zone. On the next play, Ragland hit paydirt for the second time.
While the ‘Cats offense was building a 17-0 lead at halftime, their defense was stifling. The Sharks were held to 26 yards of offense and one first down in the first half.
Following a fumble recovery and return by Shane Hartzell which gave Villanova the ball at the LIU 19, Avit did the rest. The freshman carried twice, scoring the first touchdown of his career on a five-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter.
A 25-yard run by Pat Bowen cut the Villanova lead to 24-7. Later, the Sharks added a field goal, but it was too little, too late.
“We’ve played together,” said Wildcats’ defensive back Tyrell Mims. “It’s expectations of everybody doing their 1/11th. Having that high level of trust that makes us what we are and we preach what our theme is, fast, tough, and physical and that's how we intend to come to the game each time we step on that turf."
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