ASHLAND, VA – The Randolph-Macon College Football team used 212 yards of rushing in the second-half to pull away from Averett  for a, 21-6, victory and secure its first win of the season and the first  win on the newly renovated Day Field.

Over 2,600 fans were on hand to see the opening of R-MC's newest facility.  The new Day Field has a turf playing surface, stadium lights, new brick walkways, a new press box, visitor stands, and a walking track.  It is surrounded on the north side by the new Ira Andrews Residence Hall and on the south side by the future Birdsong Residence Hall.  The new Day Field will be home to Randolph-Macon's football and men's and women's lacrosse teams.

Will McGhee led the ground attack with 151 yards in the second-half, finishing the contest with a game-high 183 yards on 25 carries.    R-MC, which ran for 321 yards on the day, also got 73 yards from  quarterback Zac Naccarato and 68 from Drake Sanders. 

The Yellow Jacket used a stifling defense in the second-half, allowing the Cougars just 29 total yards in the final 30 minutes of play.   Ian Candelaria led the way with seven tackles for R-MC.   Tom Solak and David Fetter each had six stops in the win as well. 

Down 3-0 with less than five minutes to go in the first quarter, R-MC found itself in a third and long situation from their own 30.  Naccarato ran a draw play out of the shotgun and went 70 yards for the go ahead touchdown.  A Kyle Norton two-point conversion made it 8-3.

Averett tacked on another field goal late in the first quarter to make it 8-6 and the game would remain that way through halftime.    

Randolph-Macon took the opening kickoff of the second-half and drove 72 yards on 13 plays to take a 15-6 lead.   McGhee ran the ball for 24 yards on the drive and Naccarato found Conor Moe for a six-yard touchdown pass to cap the drive.

The Yellow Jackets would seal the game just under three minutes into the final period, when a Naccarato one-yard plunge pushed R-MC ahead 21-6.  

Randolph-Macon rolled up 24 first downs on the day, while holding Averett to just eight.   The R-MC defense surrendered just 82 yards via the ground, while Cougar QB Kirkland Brown was just 9-of-20 for 61 yards on the day. 

After holding possession for 12:26 of the first quarter, Randolph-Macon would only allow AU to have the ball for 12:49 for the remainder of the contest. 

Randolph-Macon will be back in action at home next Saturday went it hosts Bethany at 1:00 p.m.

www.rmcathletics.com