Opportunistic UVa-Wise Defense Grinds Out Win Over Southern Virginia

September 17, 2005
Game Stats

Buena Vista, VA – The University of Virginia’s College at Wise defense produced five turnovers and rushed for 339 yards on the ground to prevail over Southern Virginia University football Saturday afternoon. The Highland Cavaliers held the Knights scoreless in the second half to come from behind for a 25-14 victory.

UVa-Wise improves to 3-0 on the 2005 season for the first time since 1997 campaign. The three victories ties the Cavs win total for each of the past three years where they finished 3-7 in 2002 and 3-8 in each of the past two years. Southern Virginia drops to 0-3.

Trailing 14-12 early in the third quarter, Southern Virginia quarterback Jared King saw Cavs’ defensive end Jon Nacy (Chesterfield, VA) bat his pass into the air and Reggie Dorsainvil (Virginia Beach, VA/Salem) scooped it out of the air and rumbled 57 yards for the go ahead score to make it 18-14 at the 11:41 mark.

The Knights took advantage of a UVa-Wise fumble and drove 84 yards to the Cav one-yardline. The UVa-Wise defense held strong for four-straight plays before linebacker Eric Ludden ( Fredericksburg, VA) hit Brantley Oakey behind the line and recovered the fumble for the fifth turnover.

UVa-Wise took over at their own five-yardline after the fumble with 9:41 left in the game. The Cavs worked the ball down the field on 10 plays for 95 yards, all runs, culminating in a three-yard Hakeem Abdul-Saboor ( Powhatan, VA) touchdown to seal the win and make it 25-14 with 4:18 in the game.

The Cavs’ defense held one last time forcing Southern Virginia to punt after three plays with a sack by Ben Robertson ( Morehead City, NC) on third and six. The visitors took possession on their own 35-yardline and ran out the clock after Ra’Shad Morgan (Chesterfield, VA) rushed for 19 yards on one carry and Godfrey Pestana (Land O’Lakes, FL) had runs of 11 and 32 yards for the final of 25-14.

Linebacker Corey Wheeler ( Manassas, VA) led the defense with 11 tackles and a tackle for loss. Dorsainvil had eight stops, three tackles for loss, forced a fumble, one sack and the interception return for a touchdown. Maurice Hughes ( Midlothian, VA) added five tackles with three behind the line for a loss of 16 yards. Ludden added nine tackles, three tackles for loss, forced a fumble and recovered two fumbles.

Offensively, Pestana rushed for 123 yards and Morgan ran for 122 yards of his own to lead the Cavs’ attack. Abdul-Saboor added 72 yards on the ground to round out the offense stars.

Southern Virginia was led by Oakey’s 95 yards rushing on 25 carries. Quarterback Jared King passed for 137 yards while Cameron Reynolds had eight tackles.

UVa-Wise returns to action next Saturday when they travel to Lebanon, Tennessee for a 1:30 p.m. contest at Cumberland University.

-Go Cavs-