Reading, Pa. (Sept. 28, 2019) - Widener University (3-1, 2-0) scored three first half touchdowns on its way to a 41-13 win over Alvernia University (1-3, 0-2) Saturday afternoon in MAC football action at Alvernia.

Sean McGaughey hooked up with James Gillespie for a 68-yard touchdown for the only score of the first quarter and the too connect on a 17-yard score with 1:49 left before halftime for a 20-0 lead.

The Pride scored twice in the third and again early in the fourth quarter before Alvernia got on the board with 9:43 to go on a 16-yard run from Malcolm Carey.  Darrius Sample scampered around the left side for a 22-yard touchdown to close the scoring with 3:45 to play.

Widener racked up 496 yards of total offense and Alvernia had 297.  McGaughey was 14-22 for 305 yards and three touchdowns. Kevin Washington Jr. was 10-19 for 113 yards for Alvernia.

Chris Randle had nine rushes for a game-high 97 yards for the Pride.  Carey had 17 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown.

Gillespie finished with nine catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns.  Antwann Cade had five grabs for Alvernia for 33 yards.

"I think defensively up front we played pretty well," said Alvernia head coach Ralph Clark. "Particularly the first half.  If you take away the start of the second half I thought we played pretty physically up front."

After a short kickoff to start the second half, Randle took the handoff on the first play 62 yards to paydirt for a 27-0 Widener lead.

"The effort is there," said Clark.  "Our kids still don't give up. There are a lot of positives to take out of it."

Alvernia put together touchdown drives on each of the last two drives.  The first an 8-play, 77-yard drive that took up 9:43, and the second a 3-play, 66-yard drive over 3:45.

After Widener's final score, Sample rushed for 21 yards on the first three plays moving the ball to the Alvernia 44.  After a sack on a 2nd and 5 play, Daniel Scott busted up the middle for 12 yards and had the ball jarred loose by Kevin Davis.  Otis Harold jumped on the ball at the Widener 47 to keep the drive alive.

Sample thew a rainbow to Neeko Skurlock and he came down with a 33 yard gain.  Carey took the next play 16 yards to put the Golden Wolves on the board.

Widener moved the ball down to the Alvernia 34 on the next drive, but the Wolves came up with a 4th down stop to get the ball back.

After a short gain from Marcus Martin on first down, Scott came down with an acrobatic catch down the middle at the Widener 22.  Sample made a good call pull back a run-pass option on the next play to escape the crashing D-end, and ran through the vacated spot for a 22-yard score.

Keeryen Stevens stepped up to take over punting duties after a 23-yard average last weekend at Lebanon Valley.  He totaled six punts with a 42.6 yard average with a long of 60 yards and three downed inside the 20.

"You forget because he's a starting safety," said Clark.  "He did a great job of flipping the field. You take away that last series before halftime and he did a great job setting up our defense to get 3 and outs.  If we don't get the field flipped they're in 4-down territory or kicking a field goal."

Christian Francis had a team high six tackles and two sacks.  Myles Brodie had one interception.

Alvernia continues the season next Saturday at Wilkes.

Widener 41, Alvernia 13