THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 11, 1996 TAG: 9610110696
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: GREENVILLE, N.C. LENGTH: 61 lines
East Carolina provided the pre-game theatrics, but Southern Mississippi gave the impressive performance Thursday night.
The Pirates charged onto the field through purple and gold smoke and fireworks, but fizzled once the clock started in a 28-7 loss to Southern Miss at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium before a crowd of 34,480.
The Golden Eagles (5-1) scored two touchdowns less than six minutes into the game and kept the Pirates off-balance throughout the ESPN2 nationally-televised contest.
ECU (3-2) held the Eagles on their opening possession but gave Southern Miss a momentum-gainer seconds later.
The Pirates' Jason Nichols called for a fair catch, only to have the ball go right through his hands at the 10-yard line. Southern Miss' Jamaal Alexander recovered the fumble at ECU's 5.
Two plays later, running back Eric Booth swept to the right side and scored on a 3-yard run, giving the Eagles a 7-0 lead.
Less than two minutes after the touchdown, Southern Miss got the ball back and scarred the Pirates with another big play.
On second and 10 from the Southern Miss 41, Lee Kendrick caught a dangerously thrown Lee Roberts pass between two defenders. Kendrick then started down the left sideline, cut across the middle of the field, and got a crushing block from Sherrod Gideon near the 10 for a 14-0 lead with 9:03 left in the first quarter.
Just 94 seconds later, the Eagles were in business again. Patrick Surtain made the first of his two interceptions at Southern Miss' 38. His 27-yard return, coupled with a 15-yard personal foul called against the Pirates, gave the Eagles the ball at the ECU 20.
However, ECU dodged a bullet when Johnny Lomoro missed a 29-yard field goal attempt. The Pirates stopped Harold Shaw on third and inches at the 11 to set up the field goal try.
The Eagles eventually built a 21-0 halftime lead and extended it to 28-0 going into the final quarter. Leading the way was Roberts, a sophomore making his first college start.
Roberts, 0 for 2 going into the game, was 14 of 16 for 229 yards and one touchdown. His thirteen consecutive completions set a school record, eclipsing Rick Donegan's 12 set in 1971 against Auburn.
ECU's first real scoring threat came on the opening possession of the second half.
Crandell completed two of his first three passes and then moved the Pirates to the Southern Miss 35 with a 23-yard run. Consecutive completions to Nichols and Larry Shannon got the ball down to the 11. However, three consecutive incompletions forced the Pirates to attempt a 28-yard field goal. Chad Holcomb, who beat Southern Miss last year with a 29-yard kick as time expired, was wide right as ECU's 61-yard drive went for naught.
The Pirates finally scored early in the fourth quarter following a Southern Miss turnover. Lorenzo West picked off Roberts with 13:38 remaining, giving the Pirates the ball at the Southern Miss 13. Nichols then scored on a reception from Crandell, who finished the game 28 for 46 for 254 yards and three interceptions, on the next play to end the shutout. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Southern Miss receiver Kendrick Lee runs past ECU's Tabari Wallace
on his way to a 59-yard TD. by CNB