Richmond football leaned on a new weapon Saturday in a top-25 battle that took three overtimes to decide a winner.
The Spiders proved that quarterback Kyle Lauletta's production is not necessary to win every game as they won 36–30 in Albany, New York. It was instead the two-headed running attack of freshmen Xavier Goodall and Deontez Thompson that carried Richmond to a 5–1 record and a crucial road win.
Goodall, who eclipsed 100 yards the past two weeks, suffered what looked like a minor ankle injury during the game, opening the door for Thompson to shine. And he did. With 112 yards and three touchdowns, Thompson arrived as a second viable option for Richmond when Lauletta and the passing game aren't in-sync.
Lauletta struggled against Albany's defense, which seemed to want to force the Spiders to run the ball rather than throw it. The Spiders did not find the endzone through the air, and Lauletta threw two interceptions.
To make up for the turnovers, Richmond asserted itself on defense. The Spiders sacked Albany's quarterback four times, with one and a half coming from senior lineman Winston Craig.
Richmond also intercepted two passes of its own, but one came when safety David Jones shut down a Hail Mary attempt to end the first half. Micah Keels' interception was more notable, as he wrestled the ball away from a receiver in the endzone to stop what would have been a touchdown.
The Spiders return home next weekend for its homecoming game against Villanova, currently ranked No. 14.
Contact editor-in-chief Charlie Broaddus at charlie.broaddus@richmond.edu
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