This Week in VMI Athletics - Sept. 29

All right, we're back with another update from VMI Post.

As you know, the football team had a very impressive performance in Richmond this past weekend, giving the nation's #1 team all it could have wanted in a 38-28 loss. Kyle Hughes became the first player in recorded VMI football history (and that's a LONG history) to have multiple games with over 100 yards rushing and over 100 yards passing. That effort earned him Big South Offensive POTW honors for the second time in his four-year career.

This week, the Keydets host Gardner-Webb, a team that's been the proverbial thorn in VMI's side for years. VMI has never beaten GWU, although they've come close on a number of occasions. It should be a very competitive game at Foster Stadium Saturday, with a start time of 1:30. Here's your Game Day Central link.

Cross Country had a big week as well, despite not even competing. The Keydet men were ranked in the first US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rankings of the regular season, placing 15th in the Southeast region. That's only the second time in program history that has occurred, and continues to signal that this team is a legitimate threat for VMI's first Big South title in any sport since joining the conference. VMI XC will be back in action Friday, taking part in the Paul Short Invitational in Lehigh, Pa.

Finally, of course, there's soccer. The men won their lone contest of the week, earning their first victory of the season by beating Longwood 4-2 Saturday. Kip Zechman led the squad by scoring the game's first goal and assisting on the eventual game winner, a Brandon Gary header in the 72nd minute. Four players, including Zechman and Gary, scored their first collegiate goals in the win. The Keydet men have now scored six goals in the past two games, after being held without a score for their first five contests.

That game was played in a driving rain, which caused the field to suffer a bit. The women's game the next day, also against Longwood, was played to completion, but today's (Tuesday) contest versus Elon was cancelled due to the field conditions. Here's the official release on that.

The VMI women split their two games this week, winning a 1-0 overtime battle at UMBC Thursday, thanks to an Amanda Berrios goal in the 94th minute. The team then lost to Longwood in the aforementioned Sunday game, 2-1 despite several attempts in the final minutes. It's a busy week for the Keydet women, as they will open conference play Friday by taking on Presbyterian at 4 p.m. That game will be on the Big South Network, and VMI will turn around Sunday and host the UNC Asheville Bulldogs at 1.

And of course, there's the annual fall lacrosse exhibition, the Lee-Jackson Classic. This year, the game will be played at W&L's Wilson Field on Friday, Oct. 2, with live stats available. We're working on getting the full bios in for the lacrosse freshmen right now, and hope to have a recruiting class release out within the next week to 10 days.

Back with you next week!