Sept. 10, 2009

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Florida A&M used a pair of LeRoy Vann punt returns for touchdowns as the Rattlers were the beneficiary of stellar special teams play en route to handing the Rams of Winston-Salem State University a 34-10 defeat in front of 6,313 fans at Bowman Gray Stadium on Thursday evening in a nationally televised MEAC football grudge match.

Vann's two punt returns for touchdown, his fourth and fifth career returns for a score, marked the first time in the history of the Florida A&M University football program that a Rattler player had managed that feat. The two punt returns for touchdown were part of a record-setting special teams evening for Vann who amassed 228 total return yards and a pair of touchdowns in the FAMU victory.

Aside from Vann's two returns for scores the Rams and Rattlers were nearly even for the remainder of the contest as WSSU showed considerable improvement as they recorded 218 total offensive yards including 129 yards passing from redshirt quarterback Branden Williams who appeared in only his second career game.

"Those two punt returns really got us" WSSU head coach Kermit Blount commented post game. "Overall we improved and got better and the score didn't indicate that. I am proud of the effort from our young men and we continue to move in a positive direction every day".

The Rams, a team that tallied only 90 yards of total offense in their first game of the season, stayed even with the high powered Rattlers, a team that was picked to finish second in the ultra-competitive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The Rattlers struck first as Kevin Elliott pulled in a four yard Curtis Pulley pass at the 8:22 mark of the first quarter that capped a 13-play, 74-yard drive as Florida A&M pulled out to a 7-0 lead, a lead which they would never relinquish.

The Rams responded with a drive of their own but were held to a field goal as WSSU settled for only three points following a 5:03 drive that marched 78 yards in 12 plays as the Rams cut the deficit to only four points with 3:19 to play in the contest's opening quarter.

WSSU would get no closer than four points for the remainder of the evening as Vann recorded the Rattlers' next two scores to put the game out of reach.

Vann started his evening with a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown as he took a booming Landen Thayer 49-yard punt into the Rams' endzone for his first of two scores in the game.

The score gave the Rattlers a 14-3 advantage headed into the locker room at halftime as visiting FAMU held an 11-point cushion after 30 minutes of play.

Vann started the second half the same way he ended the first half as he added an 80-yard punt return for a score as he gave the Rattlers an insurmountable 21-3 advantage.

Despite trailing by 18 points, the Rams would refuse to quit as Dominique Fitzgerald, a player who has caught a ball in 12 straight games for WSSU, pulled in a 17-yard touchdown pass from Branden Williams with 2:59 remaining in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 11 points at 21-10.

Isaac West and Max Purcell would put the game out of reach as they reeled in touchdown passes from Curtis Pulley to push FAMU's final margin of victory to 24 points at 34-10 as the Rattlers move to 2-0 on the season.

The loss drops the Rams to 0-2 on the season headed into nine days of rest prior to returning to action on Saturday, Sept. 19 as they travel to Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. to participate in the 38th Annual New York Urban League Classic. Kickoff is slated for 4:00 p.m.

For additional information on WSSU football, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at WSSURams.com.