Rocky Mount, N.C. - N.C. Wesleyan's football team dropped a 30-17 decision to Shenandoah University on Saturday afternoon at Bishop Stadium, wrapping up the non-conference portion of its 2015 schedule. For the second straight week, a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns ruined the Bishops' bid at their first victory of the season.
After the Hornets (3-0) jumped out to a 14-0 lead less than five minutes into the game, Wesleyan settled in to reel off 17 unanswered points as junior Gerrel Patton twice found the endzone.
In his first action of the season, Patton got NCWC on the board with a 3-yard scoring run at the 6:36 mark that capped a 9-play, 75-yard drive. After a 26-yard field goal by Chris Richardson made the score 14-10, Patton followed up a Kenneth Newsome interception with a 21-yard TD catch from senior Dustin Midgett early in the second quarter. Little did Bishop fans know that those points would be their last of the day.
The Hornets proceeded to knot the game at 17-17 at intermission thanks to a 28-yard field goal by Jacob Newton with 22 ticks left in the period.
The second half looked to be defensive battle as the two squads traded punts though a scoreless third. The first play of the fourth quarter, however, proved to be a turning point in the game. With 4th-and-11 at their own 40, the Hornets gambled and executed a successful fake punt to extend their drive in Wesleyan territory. Eight plays later, SU's Cedrick Delaney scored from 1-yard out to give his team a lead they would not relinquish.
SU's defense did the rest, forcing a pair three-and-outs and a pick on NCWC's next three possessions. The Michael Messick interception was followed by a balanced running attack that chewed up the clock and ended with the Hornets' third rushing TD of the game.
As a team, SU racked up 353 rushing yards on the day and held the Bishops to just 47. Through the air, Midgett finished 18-of-33 for 277 yards, while junior Malik Adams hauled in six catches for 106 yards.
Defensively, NCWC's Shabre' Judkins led all players with 13 tackles, and junior Rakeem Cooper added 12 stops.
Wesleyan enters the bye week at 0-3 and will open USA South play on October 3rd at preseason favorite Huntingdon College. Kickoff is slated for 1:00pm CDT (2:00pm EDT) in Montgomery, Alabama.