Moon Township, Pa. - VMI compiled 551 yards of total offense, including 443 rushing yards, Saturday afternoon in taking a 40-13 victory over the Robert Morris University football team in a non-conference game at Joe Walton Stadium. The Keydets improved to 2-3 overall on the 2007 campaign thanks to the win, while the Colonials fell to 3-2 overall.

VMI jumped out to a 13-0 lead and never looked back in the contest as three different Keydets rushed for at least 100 yards on the game. With 4:17 to go in the first quarter, VMI signal caller Kyle Hughes connected with Brian Barnson for a 49-yard touchdown pass to give the Keydets a 7-0 lead. The advantage was increased to 13-0 with 11:27 remaining before halftime when Hughes capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run. The Colonials were whistled for a roughing the passer penalty during the drive, which set the ball at the RMU 35-yard line. Hughes then scampered 18 yards on 1st-and-10 down to the Robert Morris six-yard line, setting up his touchdown run.

Robert Morris got on the board on its ensuing drive, marching 65 yards on eight plays before junior kicker Michael Walser (Thornville, Ohio / Sheridan) hit a 26-yard field goal. The Colonials then held VMI, and on the next drive got down to Keydet 15-yard line before quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburg, Ohio / Shadyside) and center John Steilner (Ellwood City, Pa. / Lincoln) mishandled a snap. VMI eventually recovered, and four plays later Hughes broke through the RMU defense and raced 71 yards to the end zone for a touchdown and a 20-3 Keydet advantage. RMU was able to close its deficit to 20-6 at the break when Walser booted a career-long 39-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.

In the third quarter Robert Morris began to make a game of it when Cwalinski connected with senior split end Alvin Hill (New Kensington, Pa. / Plum) for a 38-yard touchdown pass. The drive was set up by a VMI fumble, as Tim Maypray lost the handle on the ball after gaining six yards on a rush. Senior cornerback Toheeb Akinola (Baltimore, Md. / Milford Mill) came up with the loose ball, and three plays later Cwalinski hooked up with Hill for the score. VMI didn't allow the Colonials to get any closer, as on its next drive marched 80 yards on nine plays to take a 27-13 lead when Hughes hooked up with Barnson for the second time on the afternoon, this time for a 32-yard touchdown pass.

The Keydets added two more touchdown runs in the fourth quarter, as Maypray scored on a two-yard run and Joey Robinson added a six-yard scamper for a touchdown to settle the score at 40-13 in favor of VMI. A trio of rushers hit the 100-yard plateau for the Keydets, as running back Howard Abegesah rushed 27 times for 157 yards, Hughes carried 13 times for 136 yards and Robinson finished with seven rushes for 100 yards. Hughes also completed three of his six passing attempts on the day for 108 yards and two scores, with Barnson accounting for two catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns.

Cwalinski finished 14-of-37 passing for 203 yards and a touchdown but was plagued by long passes and dropped balls all afternoon. Hill finished with five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown to pace the receiving corps, while freshman halfback Myles Russ (Boca Raton, Fla. / West Boca) just missed his first career 100-yard rushing game, finishing with 97 yards on 14 carries, an average of 6.9 yards per rush.

A quartet of Colonials finished with double-digit tackles on the afternoon, as leading the way was senior linebackers Chad Wengert (Kempton, Pa. / Kutztown) and Jordan Howard (Uniontown, Ohio / Lake), who each recorded 12 tackles. Senior defensive lineman Richard Nagy (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Keystone Oaks) finished with 11 takedowns, while sophomore defensive end Mark Szymanski (Cadogan, Pa. / Ford City) recorded 10 stops.

Robert Morris returns to Northeast Conference action Saturday, Oct. 6, when it welcomes Wagner to Joe Walton Stadium for a 1:00 p.m. tilt.