GLENVILLE, W.Va. – The West Virginia State University football team needed a clutch stop on fourth down late in the fourth quarter, and got it courtesy of a
Julian Whitfield interception to win 24-19 at Glenville State University. The win extends WVSU's active win streak to three games, and gives them a 4-5 overall record, with a 2-4 record in Mountain East Conference action.
Joe Dailey completed 11-of-17 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown while adding 90 rushing yards and a 54-yard touchdown run on 10 carries.
Devin Cox rushed 17 times for 106 yards, while
Malik Baker hauled in six receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown.
Keyshon Washington recorded a team-high 14 tackles, including a solo sack for a 10-yard loss, while
Gregory Deloach added 11 total tackles (five solo). Whitfield and Treyvn Smith each recorded an interception to anchor the WVSU defense.
Glenville State took the opening kickoff and marched 12 plays before a series of incomplete passes turned the ball over on downs at the WVSU 16-yard line. On WVSU's opening possession, Dailey connected with Baker for a 43-yard completion, followed immediately by a 33-yard touchdown run from Cox.
Alex Shrader converted the extra point to give WVSU an early 7-0 lead. The Pioneers answered by driving into the WVSU red zone on their next drive, but a third-down sack by
Justin Kalitsnik forced Glenville State to settle for a field goal.
Taking possession in the closing minutes of the opening period, Glenville State scored early in the second quarter to take a 10-7 lead. WVSU responded with a 10-play, 81-yard drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Dailey to Baker to reclaim a 14-10 advantage. The Pioneers converted a pair of late field goals to carry a 16-14 lead into halftime.
WVSU received the second-half kickoff and executed a four-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 54-yard touchdown run by Dailey. Shrader added the extra point to put the Yellow Jackets ahead 21-16. Glenville State answered with a 61-yard march on its next possession, but the WVSU defense came up with a fourth-down stop to deny the Pioneers points.
The WVSU defense struck again with 4:05 remaining in the third quarter when Smith intercepted a Pioneer pass, giving the Yellow Jackets possession at their own 48-yard line. WVSU advanced to the Glenville State 31 before Shrader booted a 41-yard field goal to extend the lead to 24-16 with 2:02 left in the third period.
The Yellow Jackets' defense halted multiple Glenville State drives in the fourth quarter. Facing fourth-and-7 from the WVSU 41-yard line with 2:28 remaining, WVSU forced an incomplete pass to secure a turnover on downs just prior to the two-minute timeout.
Following a short WVSU possession that resulted in a punt, the Yellow Jackets returned to the field needing one final stop. After three consecutive incomplete passes and a false-start penalty, Whitfield intercepted Glenville State's fourth-down attempt to seal the 24-19 victory.
WVSU returns home to Lakin-Ray Field at Dickerson Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7, hosting Frostburg State University for senior day. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.
