DATE: Sunday, October 5, 1997               TAG: 9710050230

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: FRANK VEHORN

DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                   LENGTH:   56 lines

U.VA. REPORT

Interception for TD makes Williams' day, though not Welsh's

Virginia cornerback Joe Williams was too happy after scoring the first touchdown of his college career Saturday to say he was sorry.

Williams, a senior from Chesapeake, scored the final touchdown in a 21-13 victory over Wake Forest with only 24 seconds remaining in the game.

The touchdown return brought a reprimand from coach George Welsh, who said it gave Wake Forest the chance to stay in the game.

``Joe should have downed the ball instead of scoring and we could have run out the clock,'' Welsh said.

``I have coached that every year.''

Wake Forest used the final 24 seconds to move to Virginia's 45 and throw a final pass into the Cavaliers' end zone that was picked off by safety Anthony Poindexter.

Williams said he never considered downing the ball when he saw daylight down the sidelines after intercepting the ball.

``It was one of the best feelings I've ever had,'' Williams said.

Poindexter makes the most of a rare run with pigskin

Poindexter also was criticized by Welsh for running his game-ending interception out of the end zone. ``He should have downed it in the end zone. Otherwise, he risked the chance of fumbling,'' Welsh said.

Like Williams, Poindexter said his only thought was to take the ball back as far as he could.

``Coach Welsh was raising Cain, but I don't touch the ball that often and I wanted to make the most of it,'' Poindexter said.

Eleven U.Va. penalties are too many for Welsh

Welsh, who admitted he had worried all week about the game, was relieved with the victory but not completely satisfied.

The Cavaliers were penalized 11 times for 95 yards. One of the penalties nullified a 30-yard run by tailback Thomas Jones.

``A couple of blocking below the waist penalties and a couple of holds, that hurts,'' Welsh said.

Injury report

Tight end Casey Crawford had four catches for 59 yards in the first half before suffering a season-ending fractured fibula in his right leg. Crawford said he thought he had suffered a sprain before looking down and seeing his foot dangling loosely.

Wake Forest defensive lineman Aljamont Joyner sprained a knee early in the game and did not play the second half.

Wake Forest coach Jim Caldwell said he hopes Joyner will be ready to play next week.

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