Football
Coach London's Corner: Midseason Report
By Mike London | October 21, 2009The 2009 football season is well under way and the Spiders are playing well enough to have six wins versus zero defeats.
The 2009 football season is well under way and the Spiders are playing well enough to have six wins versus zero defeats.
Richmond is already the home of the only Spiders in the country. Now, it's also the home of the Flying Squirrels. The city will be the new home of the San Francisco Giants double-A baseball team starting next spring, and after a "Name the Team" contest that drew more than 15,000 nickname suggestions, the franchise chose its new name: the Richmond Flying Squirrels. No, I'm not kidding. The fact that the team will don caps and uniforms featuring our furry, flying, four-legged friends is comical enough in itself, but the nicknames that the Squirrels beat out were even more unusual. The franchise chose five finalists from the entries, which were submitted online.
The University of Richmond club ice hockey team started its ninth season with early success. The Spiders are 4-2 overall and 3-0 in the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference, which consists of schools from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Washington.
? Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Jeff Reed was cited for public intoxication and disorderly conduct outside a bar a few blocks from Heinz Field hours after the team's 27-14 win against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
The University of Richmond's women's swimming team opens its season tomorrow night at LaSalle University - the first time the Spiders have swum against an Atlantic-10 team during the regular season in five years. As the team practiced last week in the Robins Center Natatorium, a board marking the team's eight-consecutive A-10 championships had an empty third row waiting to be broken into.
The University of Richmond field hockey team remained undefeated in conference play by defeating West Chester University 2-0 Sunday afternoon during its final home game of the season. Behind goals from redshirt junior Dani Pycroft and sophomore Katelin Peterson, the Spiders improved to 3-0 in Atlantic-10 conference play and shut out an opponent for the sixth time this season.
The University of Richmond football team used 28 second-half points to defeat the University of Maine 38-21 on Saturday, extending its school-record winning streak to 15 games. The Spiders trailed 14-10 at halftime, but started the second half by scoring 28 unanswered points, highlighted by senior safety Derek Hatcher's 90-yard punt return touchdown. During the first drive of the second half, Richmond senior quarterback Eric Ward led the team down the field before throwing a three-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Donte Boston.
The University of Richmond field hockey team defeated La Salle University 4-0 behind a pair of goals by senior Sarah Blythe-Wood. Blythe-Wood's two goals raised her season total to 16, which is tops in the Atlantic-10 Conference. Sophomore Katelin Peterson and junior Dani Pycroft added the other two goals for the Spiders.
The University of Richmond football team defeated James Madison University 21-17 on Saturday afternoon at Bridgeforth Stadium, extending its school-record winning streak to 14 games and improving to 5-0 this season. Contact staff photographer Barrett Neale at barrett.neale@richmond.edu
James Madison University was able to convert three out of its four penalty corners to defeat the University of Richmond field hockey team 3-0. JMU junior Dolores de Rooij scored all three of her team's goals off of the penalty corner.
HARRISONBURG, Va. ? Six yards separated the University of Richmond football team from its first loss in 364 days. But with 58 seconds remaining during the fourth quarter of Saturday's game, Richmond senior defensive tackle Martin Parker forced James Madison University freshman quarterback Justin Thorpe to fumble as he tried to run for the end zone.
In its Atlantic-10 Conference opener win against Saint Louis University, the University of Richmond field hockey team tied or set three school records. The Spiders tied a school record for goals during a game with 12 as they shut out the Billikens. "The thing I was most excited about is that - outside of the penalty stroke which can't be an assisted goal - that eight of the other 12 goals that were scored were assisted." Richmond coach Gina Lucido said.
Professional referees rarely hear praise and constantly hear criticism. A good day for an official is a day in which he goes unnoticed.
The United States had a wake-up call last week when it was announced in Copenhagen that Rio De Janeiro beat out Chicago for the Summer 2016 Olympic bid. Chicago did not just lose the bid to host the summer Olympics.
? Newly acquired New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards allegedly punched a friend of LeBron James in the face outside a Cleveland night club early Monday morning.
University of Richmond junior wide receiver Kevin Grayson and University of Florida Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow now have two things in common. Both players helped lead their teams to national championships last season, and they have both been honored for the positive impact they have in their communities. Allstate Insurance and the American Football Coaches Association announced on Sept.
The University of Richmond men's soccer team opens conference play this weekend as it tries to advance to the conference tournament for the first time since 2006. The Spiders (3-6) start the Atlantic-10 portion of the schedule with four-consecutive away games.
The men's golf team won its first tournament of the fall season, taking the Frank Landry Invitational Tuesday in Charlottesville, Va. Junior Sam Beach won the individual title, shooting a 4-under-par 68 during the final round to finish with a score of 3-under-par 213.
The University of Richmond field hockey team defeated Georgetown University 2-0 Sunday afternoon with goals from sophomore Katelin Peterson and senior Sarah Blythe-Wood. Coming off a 4-3 loss Wednesday to the undefeated, third-ranked University of Virginia Cavaliers, the Spiders tried to get back on track against the 1-9 Georgetown Hoyas. Richmond controlled the field from the beginning, as senior Megan Thompson initiated the offensive shooting with a shot that went just wide of the net. When Richmond failed to capitalize on initial scoring efforts, assistant coach Jodi Murphy watched her players attempt to weave through the opposition and said they had been trying to do too much. At the 18-minute mark, Blythe-Wood beat a defender at midfield and played a long ball up to Thompson.
? The Washington Redskins lost to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, giving Detroit its first win in more than a year.