Coming off the program’s second-ever victory over a top-five nationally-ranked opponent, the Stony Brook Seawolves appeared to still have the win on their mind, as they were blown out of the water by the University of Richmond Spiders.

Playing on the road for the second weekend in a row, the Seawolves (5-4, 2-3 CAA) fell to the Spiders 30-10 on Saturday, Nov. 2 at E. Claiborne Robins Stadium in Richmond, Virginia.

Early defensive takeaways which should have led to numerous points put on the board by Stony Brook and a huge shift in momentum were quickly erased by Richmond redshirt-junior quarterback Joe Mancuso.

A season low of 288 total offensive yards forced the Seawolves defense to spend more than half of the game on the field, with the Spiders controlling the ball for 36 minutes and 37 seconds.

The Seawolves were scoreless in the second half of the game, for the first time all season. This was only the second time all season where they did not score a point in a half, previously not scoring in the first half of a blowout loss at Utah State.

Following a week in which he was named CAA Rookie of the Week, redshirt-freshman running back Ty Son Lawton snapped his three-game streak of rushing for over 100 yards. Lawton was only able to gain 35 yards via 16 attempts. It was his first game without a rushing touchdown since the season opener against Bryant.

While Lawton struggled to rush for significant yardage all game, the rest of the offense fared worse. Known for his ability to pass the ball and run when needed, redshirt-junior quarterback Tyquell Fields was held to one yard on four rush attempts. Captain, redshirt-senior running back, Isaiah White saw his first in-game action at the running back position in over a month, carrying the ball twice for a total of six yards.

The Seawolves were only able to convert two of 14 third down attempts, while the Spiders capitalized and converted eight of 15.

Fields struggled on the day, completing 10 of his 25 passing attempts for 205 yards, a passing touchdown and one interception. A 57-yard touchdown pass from Fields to redshirt-sophomore wide receiver Delante Hellams Jr. midway through the second quarter gave the Seawolves their first touchdown of the day and left them trailing 13-10. It was Hellams’s first touchdown of his career, marking the second weekend in a row that a Stony Brook player scored their first career touchdown. 

As the clock wound down, Stony Brook head coach Chuck Priore replaced Fields with redshirt-junior quarterback Jack Cassidy. Despite only playing in the last four minutes of the game, Cassidy was the team’s second leading rusher, gaining 17 yards on three attempts.

Redshirt-senior defensive back Synceir Malone picked up his second interception of the season early in the first quarter. Following the interception, the Seawolves drove 41 yards down the field and got on the board first following a 26-yard field goal by redshirt-senior kicker, Nick Courtney. On the following Spiders drive, redshirt-freshman defensive lineman Makye Smith forced a fumble that was recovered by captain, redshirt-senior defensive back Gavin Heslop.

For the Spiders, Mancuso shook off his early first quarter struggles to rush for 88 yards and two touchdowns on 16 attempts, while passing for 318 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The graduate transfer wide receiver duo of Keyston Fuller and Charlie Fessler, torched the Seawolves defense for a combined 227 yards receiving for two touchdowns on only 17 catches.

Following the loss, the Seawolves will return home and play in front of their home crowd for the first time in a month when they host another CAA team and try to keep their playoff hopes alive against the Towson University Tigers (5-4, 2-3 CAA). Kickoff at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Nov. 9.