Nov. 19, 2005
Box Score
VILLANOVA, Pa. - Senior linebacker Brian Hulea (Canfield, Ohio) had 13 tackles to set the school's career record, but Villanova (4-7, 2-6 Atlantic 10) was defeated 38-13 by Delaware (6-5, 3-5 A-10) on Saturday afternoon at Villanova Stadium. The game was the season finale for both teams.
Hulea had nine of his 13 tackles in the second half to pass Curtis Eller, who held the previous record with 429 tackles. Hulea entered the game 11 stop short of tying the record, and wound up his career with a new mark of 431 tackles. He is one of just three players in school history to record 400 career stops. The record-breaking tackle came when Hulea took down Blue Hens quarterback Sonny Riccio at the Delaware 49-yard line to end a 1-yard run early in the fourth quarter.
Delaware jumped out to a 21-7 lead at halftime behind a pair of touchdown runs by Riccio in the second period. Riccio, who accumulated 90 rushing yards and four touchdown runs in the game, ran in for 23 yards with 13:05 left in the opening half and then registered a six-yard run with 52 seconds remaining in the half.
After the Blue Hens scored on their opening drive to take an early lead, the Wildcats answered on a touchdown run by junior running back Dequese May (Shelbyville, Ky.) late in the first stanza. May capped a seven-play, 35-yard drive with 2:59 left in the quarter. The two teams combined for seven touchdowns without either quarterback throwing for a score on the day. Villanova closed the halftime deficit to 21-13 with 10:57 remaining in the third quarter after a two-yard run by sophomore running back Matt Dicken (Cape May, N.J.).
Delaware answered back and extended the lead, however, converting a 34-yard field goal by Zach Hobby with 2:42 left in the third period. Riccio ran for his third touchdown of the game early in the fourth quarter, and added his fourth with 3:10 left to close the scoring. The Blue Hens took advantage of two Wildcat turnovers in the final stanza to score their two touchdowns in the period.
Villanova sophomore quarterback Frank Jankowski (Berwick, Pa.) finished the day with 166 yards and was 23-of-36 with one interception. Senior running back Moe Gibson (District Heights, Md.) rushed for 86 yards on 13 carries, while classmate J.J. Outlaw (Columbia, Md.) received for 40 yards and rushed for 28.
The Wildcats finished the season with a 4-7 record and went 2-6 in Atlantic 10 games. Prior to the beginning of the game, the team honored the members of its senior class in a ceremony in front of the Villanova sideline.
