ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996 TAG: 9609170032
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
VIRGINIA UPENDS Maryland 21-3 behind a strong defensive effort.
Who said Virginia couldn't hold onto a lead?
Maybe it's just big leads that give the Cavaliers problems.
UVa's defense did its job - and the offense's job, too - and the result was a 21-3 victory Saturday at Scott Stadium.
It was 7-3 before Virginia tailback Tiki Barber scored twice in the final 2:31, the first time after UVa coach George Welsh had gone against conventional football wisdom and taken points off the board.
``You don't usually do that but the time factor was important,'' said Welsh, who accepted an offsides penalty against Maryland, nullifying an apparent Rafael Garcia field goal.
Welsh had to know that Maryland didn't have the firepower to drive the length of the field. The Terrapins had 19 plays for negative yardage and managed one first down on their last five possessions.
Could it have been the best defensive performance in Welsh's 15-year UVa tenure?
``Probably,'' said Welsh, not one to toss around superlatives. ``I'd say it was. It's tough to compare eras and games, but I know it was better than a couple years ago, when we beat Clemson [9-6].
``The offense didn't help this year at all.''
UVa quarterbacks Tim Sherman and Aaron Brooks were a combined 5-for-18, including a first half in which Sherman was 0-for-5. He was intercepted twice and didn't come close to his receivers on his other three attempts.
``I sat in the locker room at halftime,'' he said, ``and I told myself, `This is just terrible. We need to get it together. I need to get it together.' There were no excuses.''
There was one consolation. The Cavaliers led 7-0 only because defensive tackle Tony Dingle intercepted a Ken Mastrole pass and returned it 8 yards for a touchdown with 6:07 left before halftime.
Mastrole, a redshirt freshman who had not attempted a pass in Maryland's first two contests, came into the game cold after starting quarterback Brian Cummings was rocked by UVa linebacker Dillon Taylor.
Taylor's facemask-to-facemask hit left Cummings dazed. It wasn't until he had been helped from the field that Cummings noticed pain in his right (throwing) shoulder. He did not return.
``Cummings going out hurts them,'' Virginia defensive coordinator Rick Lantz said. ``I told our kids that I really like him. I don't know the guy, but he's a winner. He makes big plays for them. He scrambles for first downs.''
Mastrole completed nine of 15 passes, but he was intercepted twice, the second time by UVa cornerback Ronde Barber, who slipped in front of Geroy Simon at the Maryland 19-yard line with 4:41 left.
``I thought that was a great interception,'' said Welsh of Barber's diving grab. ``I don't know how he made that catch. Maybe we ought to put him at wide receiver.''
Maryland turnovers resulted in all three Virginia touchdowns, including a 14-yard run by Tiki Barber with 1:34 left. UVa had taken possession at the Terps' 19 when Jon Harris sacked Mastrole, whose fumble was recovered by Dingle.
``This was a tough loss for us,'' said Maryland coach Mark Duffner, who dropped to 0-5 against Virginia. ``Our defense played well enough to win. What made the difference was turnovers and penalties.''
He could have added that Maryland had absolutely no success running against the Cavaliers. The Terps' longest running play was a 14-yard gain by Russell Edwards on a fake punt and they finished with 47 carries for 54 yards.
``It wasn't scheme so much as talent,'' said Lantz, whose defense squandered double-digit leads in four games last year. ``If guys do what they're supposed to do, we should hold up. That's a talented [UVa] defense out there.''
Virginia had its lowest offensive output since the 1992 season, but still outgained the Terps 221-175. Barber, a marked man all afternoon, finished with 29 carries for 123 yards - the 12th 100-yard game of his career.
An effective passing offense will only benefit Barber, but there was little reason for optimism Saturday. Wide receiver Germane Crowell twice limped off the field with a toe injury after earlier dropping one of Sherman's best throws on a fly pattern.
``I don't know what was wrong with the quarterbacks,'' Welsh said. ``You'd think, by now, we wouldn't overthrow wide-open receivers. You'd like to think you can drive 80 yards every once in awhile.'' NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DON PETERSEN/Staff. 1. UVa defensive tackle Tony Dingleby CNBscrambles for the game's first touchdown after intercepting a pass
as the Cavaliers beat the Terrapins on Saturday. color. 2. Tiki
Barber (21) breaks a tackle by Maryland's Ratcliff Thomas (46) to
score his first of two touchdowns at Scott Stadium on Saturday.
Barber finished with 29 carries for 123 yards. 3. UVa's Anthony
Poindexter (top) and Ronde Barber celebrate after Barber's
fourth-quarter interception on Saturday. Barber's pickoff resulted
in a Tiki Barber touchdown.