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Germaine Bennett (2) scored three touchdowns and posted his second straight 100-yard rushing effort to lead the Hens

10:08 a.m., Sept. 15, 2003--The University of Delaware football team will carry a 2-0 record into the game against West Chester University on Saturday night, Sept. 20, at Delaware Stadium. Kickoff for the Band Day contest will be 7 p.m., and the game sponsor is Coca-Cola.

West Chester is led by former UD quarterback Bill Zwaan, who is in his first year as head coach of the Golden Rams. Zwaan’s team is 2-0 and in this week’s 56-7 victory over Glenville (W.Va.) State, three West Chester runners went for 100 or more yards.

Delaware displayed offensive firepower this weekend, as well, in a 44-14 Atlantic 10 Football Conference victory over the University of Richmond.

UD senior quarterback Andy Hall threw for three touchdown passes for the second straight week, and Germaine Bennett racked up 121 yards and scored on three short touchdown runs before a Delaware Stadium crowd of 21,388.

The Blue Hens (2-0, 1-0 in conference) piled up 25 first downs and 450 total yards on the way to the win in their conference opener. Richmond (0-1, 0-1), which lost three fumbles and was intercepted once, was playing in its 2003 season opener.

Delaware posted consecutive 40-point performances for the first time since the 2000 season and defeated Richmond for the eighth straight time at Delaware Stadium. The Hens also avenged a 15-13 setback to the Spiders last season in Virginia.

Hall, who threw for three touchdowns in last week's 41-7 win over The Citadel, equaled the feat as he hit on 18 of 25 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns before giving way to backup Ryan Carty early in the fourth quarter. Hall threw touchdown strikes of 38 yards to Justin Long, 11 yards to Brian Ingram and three yards to Sean Bleiler.

Richmond senior quarterback Bryson Spinner, making his debut for the Spiders after transferring from the University of Virginia two years ago, hit on 16 of 34 passes for 196 yards and one touchdown. Stacy Tutt caught seven passes for 101 yards, but Richmond gained just 108 yards on the ground.

Bennett, making his first career start in place of Antawn Jenkins who was resting a sore ankle, carried 26 times for 121 yards and touchdown runs of three, two and one yards. Bennett, who rushed for 109 yards against The Citadel, became the first running back at Delaware with consecutive 100-yard games since Pat Williams in 1995.

Delaware jumped out to a 10-0 lead as Brad Shushman converted a 31-yard field goal and Bennett scored from three yards out in a drive that was set up when Bleiler recovered a botched punt return by Richmond at the 42-yard line. Five plays later Bennett scored.

Richmond cut the lead to 10-7 on a two-yard run by David Edwards but the Hens came right back on Hall's long scoring pass to Long. That score was set up after Spinner was sacked by Mark Moore and fumbled, and Mondoe Davis recovered at the 38-yard line.

The Spiders rallied again as Spinner hit Tutt on a 28-yard scoring play with 9:51 left in the first half, but the Hens took a 24-14 lead into intermission when Hall hit Ingram on an 11-yard touchdown pass. That score was set up on an interception by Mike Adams, who returned the ball to the Richmond 15-yard line.

The Hens put the game away in the third quarter when Richmond fumbled the opening kickoff and Delaware's Ben Cross recovered. Five plays later Bennett scored from one-yard out to give the Hens a 31-14 lead. Bennett scored his third touchdown six minutes later for a 37-14 lead and Bleiler capped the scoring with the short touchdown catch from Hall.

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