Spring Break
Virginia adds to ECU's wounds
Jared Jackson, Staff Writer
Issue date: 10/16/08 Section: Sports
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That's what ECU coach Skip Holtz said in a press conference Monday.
The Pirates have made the former a habit of late, dropping a non-conference contest 35-20 to Virginia [3-3, 1-1 ACC] last Saturday in Charlottesville. The loss is the third straight for ECU [3-3, 1-1 Conference USA], which was ranked No. 14 in the nation a little over a month ago.
The Cavs, fresh off a 31-0 mauling of Maryland, have looked like a completely different team the past two weeks since taking a 31-3 defeat at the hands of Duke three weeks ago. ECU, on the other hand, has been plagued by the injury bug and hasn't looked like its former self since losing a heartbreaker in overtime to N.C. State on Sept. 20.
"It was a frustrating and disappointing loss for this football team. I thought the team played extremely hard," Holtz said of the UVA game.
UVA owned the first half of the contest, totaling 328 yards of offense before intermission. Most of the yardage came from senior running back Cedric Peerman, who had touchdown runs of 79 and 60 yards to give Virginia a commanding 14-6 lead.
"They have a good running back. He took advantage of his blocking and hit his edge and went … it was hard going against him," said ECU senior defensive lineman Khalif Mitchell of Peerman, who finished with 173 rushing yards and two touchdowns against ECU.
Peerman wasn't the only one to shine in the first half. Mikell Mitchell also scored in the opening half with a 5-yard touchdown run, while a Marc Verica 30-yard pass to Kevin Ogletree concluded the 21 point second quarter for UVA. The Cavs took a daunting 28-6 lead into halftime.
"We felt like if we could get it down to a one-score game through the third quarter that we would be in good shape," Holtz said.
The Pirates were able to do just that while looking like a glimpse of the team that started the season 3-0.
A Dwayne Harris 59-yard kickoff return to open the second half, paved the way for a Jonathan Williams 1-yard touchdown run. Two possessions later it was Harris again who sparked the Pirates, with a 52-yard reception from quarterback Patrick Pinkney to move the chains downfield. Eight plays later, ECU found the end zone again behind a 10-yard pass from Pinkney to running back Brandon Simmons to cut the deficit to 28-20.
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