Box Score BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Despite playing nearly an even second half with their hosts, the VMI football team could not overcome a quick start by the Lehigh Mountain Hawks in a 37-6 setback before 6,550 fans at Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem, Pa.

VMI dropped its third straight and fell to 1-3 with the loss while Lehigh raised its record to 2-1.

The Mountain Hawks, using big plays in the passing game and special teams, scored on its first three possessions of the game to jump to a 21-0 with 14:48 remaining in the second quarter.

VMI avoided a shutout by scoring with :13 left in the game with sophomore wide receiver Rick Goodwin caught his first college TD pass off the arm of quarterback Kyle Hughes. - a 13-yard floater in the left corner of the endzone.

Keydet fullback Howard Abegesah led VMI in rushing for the fourth straight game with 58 yards on 21 carries while sophomore slotback Tim Maypray continued to make things happen when he touched the ball by piling up 245 yards in all-purpose running.

VMI outgained the Mountain Hawks, 178-136, on the ground but Lehigh, led by quarterback Sedale Threatt, completed 16 of 22 passes as a team for 311 yards as Thrett tossed three TD's in a 14 for 19 outing.

The Mountain Hawks set the tone on the opening kickoff when John Kennedy returned it 39 yards to the VMI 47. Six plays later, Threatt found junior tight end Troy Healion on a 13-yard TD pass for the opening score with 12:18 left in the first quarter.

VMI moved to the Lehigh 32-yard line on its opening drive but turned the ball over on downs when Abegesah was dropped for a three-yard loss at the 35. It took just four plays for the Mountain Hawks to hit the endzone as Thrett found a wide open Nick Johnson at the 30-yard line and the junior eluded a final defender for a 52-yard scoring play to make it 14-0 with 5:45 remaining in the first quarter.

The Keydets then amassed another time consuming drive on its next possession, moving from its own 38 to the Lehigh nine-yard line in 11 plays, but freshman Patrick Sweeney missed a 26-yard field goal to the right and VMI missed its best opportunity for points in the first half.

Lehigh opened up on its second play on the ensuing drive with a quick lateral from Threatt to receiver Pete Donchez who threw to Johnson down the right sideline for a 66-yard scoring catch and run to give Lehigh a 21-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter.

The Mountain Hawks tacked on 10 more points before halftime when freshman tailback Kwesi Kankam scored on a 13-yard draw play capping a 10-play, 65 yard drive with 5:11 remaining in the second quarter. Jason Leo added a 22-yard field on the last play of the half to put Lehigh ahead, 31-0 at the break. The score was set up when Hughes under threw a screen pass attempt and the pass was intercepted by LU defensive back Jesse Sanchez the Lehigh 45.

The VMI defense stiffened after halftime, forcing the Mountain Hawks to put twice and also recovered a fumble by end Andy Viola and forced another punt at the start of the fourth quarter. But Threatt teamed with Healion for a 30-yard touchdown pass with 10:10 remaining for the Mountain Hawks only score after halftime.

The Keydet defense held Lehigh to 129 yards total offense in the second half after surrendering 318 yards in the first half.

The Keydets travel across the Keystone State next Saturday to face Robert Morris In Moon Township, Pa. Kickoff will be 1:00 p.m.

QUOTES FROM VMI HEAD COACH JIM REID - "We panicked a little bit early - Lehigh did a very nice job, they blocked some extra people and gave themselves time and they were running loose in our secondary. The panic set in and we had some runover of disappointment onto the offense because we ran the ball well the first three drives, and we kind of went into the tank just a little bit. We came back in the second half, we helped ourselves with some coverage, changed some things around and although they were not as high energy as they were in the very beginning, at least were able to put a stop on it. We just got to keep going. The guys were running around all fired up in the second half. That's what happens when you coach young players. They are excited about very play and that's what you need to be. We can keep getting better. We need to."