WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- University of Delaware senior quarterback Sonny Riccio hit freshman Aaron Love on a six-yard touchdown pass with 4:17 remaining to give the Blue Hens the lead and Kyle Campbell interecepted a pass in the final minute to seal the win as the Delaware football team posted a 22-21 comeback victory over No. 24 William & Mary Saturday afternoon at Zable Stadium.

The Blue Hens, who had fallen to the Tribe, 44-38 in double overtime, in last year’s NCAA I-AA quarterfinals, snapped a two-game losing streak while improving to 5-5 overall and 2-5 in the Atlantic 10. The Tribe lost its third straight to fall to 5-5 overall and 3-4 in the league.

After the teams went into halftime tied at 14-14, William & Mary took the lead by driving 78 yards on nine plays on its first possession of the third quarter and scoring when quarterback Jacob Phillips hit Matt Otey on a two-yard touchdown pass.

After the Blue Hens went three-and-out on their next possession, Stuart Kenworthy’s punt was blocked by Brandon Burrow, giving the Tribe the ball on the Delaware 11 yardline. However the Blue Hen defense yielded just two yards on three plays, and the Tribe’s Greg Kuehn missed a 35-yard field goal to keep it a 21-14 game.

William & Mary drove to the Delaware 29 on its next possession, but Kuehn’s 46-yard field goal attempt was short, keeping the Blue Hens within seven.

Delaware was stopped on its next possession but the Blue Hens downed Kenworthy’s punt at the William & Mary four yardline. The Tribe gained six yards on its first play but on the second John Mulhern (above) and Matt Marcorelle sacked Phillips in the endzone for a safety to bring Delaware within 21-16.

The Blue Hens could not move the ball on their ensuing possession, but after William & Mary moved to the Delaware 48, Mulhern intercepted a pass by Phillips, giving Delaware the ball on its own 38 yardline.

The Blue Hens then drove 62 yards on 11 plays, converting three third downs, and scored on a third-and-five when Riccio connected with Love for the go-ahead score. Delaware then went for a two-point conversion but failed, keeping it a 22-21 game.

William & Mary picked up one first down on its next possession but Phillips’ pass on fourth-and-18 from the Tribe 41 fell incomplete, and the Blue Hens took possession. Omar Cuff was stopped on a fourth-and-one, giving the Tribe the ball on its own 34 with 34 seconds left, but after an incomplete pass Campbell picked off Phillips to put the game away.

“This was a very rewarding win,” said fourth-year Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler. “Our kids kept playing the whole time, and we got great leadership from guys like Parks, Mulhern, and Riccio. We haven’t won in a while so this feels real good. I’m proud of the way we handled things today. It would have been easy for us to give in after the blocked punt. A lesser team would have folded its tent.”

“Coach Keeler kept saying the the whole year that we don’t make enough plays to get a win, but today we did,” Mulhern said.

The Tribe struck first when Phillips scored on a one-yard run with 4:16 remaining in the first quarter, but the Blue Hens answered when Cuff scored from one yard out with 3:41 left in the second to tie the game at 7-7. The Tribe quickly responded by driving 69 yards in six plays and scoring on another one-yard run by Phillips with 1:33 on the clock.

However Rashaad Woodard returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards, and three plays later Riccio’s pass to Justin LaForgia slipped through the tight end’s hands but deflected to Armand Cauthen, who scored on a 21-yard reception to knot the contest at 14-14 with just 59 seconds to play. The Tribe then drove to the Delaware 10 yardline, but Kuehn missed a 27-yard field goal at the buzzer to keep the game tied heading into the break.

Cuff, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season, ran 28 times for 101 yards to post his sixth 100-yard game of the season and the 10th of his career. He also caught a team-high five passes for 49 yards, while Riccio finished 17-of-29 for 179 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. Campbell posted a team-high 10 tackles to lead the Blue Hen defense, while Fred Andrew added eight.

Phillips finished 24-for-34 with a touchdown pass for the Tribe, but threw two interceptions and was sacked five times. Joe Nichols posted game-highs of eight receptions and 121 yards receiving, while DeBrian Holmes ran eight times for 66 yards.

The Blue Hens close out their regular season next Saturday when Delaware travels to rival Villanova for a 1 p.m. game with the Wildcats.

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