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Big plays lift Blue Hens to victory over WCU

Freshman Jared Bradley rushed to 91 yards in the season-opening victory over West Chester.

9:12 a.m., Sept. 11, 2006--With big plays by the offense, defense and special teams, the University of Delaware football team opened the 2006 season with a 30-7 victory over West Chester University before 22,329 spirited fans at sold-out Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium.

The Fightin' Blue Hens will return to action with a game against the State University of New York at Albany at 7 p.m., Saturday, at The Tub. The Great Danes are 1-1 and opened the season with a 17-16 victory against Lehigh University.

After an opening drive by West Chester resulted in a missed field goal try, the Hens hit a hot streak to build a 27-0 halftime lead. The first big play was by UD kicker Zach Hobby, who opened the scoring with a 45-yard field goal with 5:28 left in the opening quarter.
Defensive back Aaron Hicks had the next big play, snagging an interception and returning it 31 yards to the West Chester eight-yard line. Soon thereafter, quarterback Joe Flacco made it 10-0 when he scored on a four-yard burst.
UD's Aaron Love set up the next score with a scintillating 42-yard punt return to the West Chester 18. Freshman running back Jared Bradley then made it 17-0 with 31 seconds left in the opening quarter as he scored a touchdown on a 16-yard screen pass from Flacco.
Flacco had the next big play, hitting Robbie Agnone on a 50-yard bomb down the left sideline to make the score 24-0 early in the second quarter. The lead increased to 27-0 at the half after UD defensive lineman Bubba Jespersen recovered a fumble at the West Chester 32 and Hobby converted another field goal try.

“It was a sloppy first game and I was disappointed that we didn't finish it (shutout) off,” UD Head Coach K.C. Keeler said. “Great teams do that. But we saw some good things and we will enjoy every single win. We have a lot to work on but we'll get back to practice this week and see if we can get better.”

The Hens finished with 292 total yards to 250 for West Chester. Bradley had 91 yards on 20 carries in relief of All-American Omar Cuff, who had 59 yards on 12 carries before sitting out much of the second half. Flacco completed 9 of 18 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns and carried the ball nine times for 40 yards and a touchdown. Love had three catches and Cuff and tight end Ben Patrick had two each. Hobby connected on field goal tries of 45, 29 and 41 yards.

UD linebacker KeiAndre Hepburn led the Hens with six tackles, and Matt Marcorelle and Kyle Campbell had five each.

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