Written by Sean Dahlin

ALFRED, N.Y.—After dropping the previous four road contests this season, the Southern Virginia University football team earned its first win away from home on Saturday defeating Alfred State College 21-6 behind a solid defensive performance.

"Our defense played its most complete game of the season," said fourth-year Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald. "We were able to dominate the momentum for all four quarters."

Senior defensive lineman and co-captain Dylan Hall (Redding, Calif.)—who holds the program's career (13.5) and single-season (9.5) sacks records—led Southern Virginia's (3-6) defense that recorded a season-high five team sacks, registering six tackles and taking down Alfred State's (3-4) quarterbacks Joey Frendo and Colton Caldwell one time each.

Linebacker Steven Andreasen (Burley, Idaho) along with defensive linemen Luke Herndon (Mechanicsville, Va.) and Tanner Greer (Orem, Utah) accounted for the remaining three team sacks with one apiece along while also amassing five combined tackles-for-loss.

Both teams were held scoreless until with 45 seconds left before halftime Southern Virginia freshman quarterback Andy Jones (Salt Lake City, Utah), who finished 8-of-17 for 59 yards passing, hit senior wide receiver Cameron Williams (Sacramento, Calif.) on a four-yard touchdown strike to give the Knights a 7-0 lead at intermission.

The highlight of the Knights' second-quarter scoring drive came when senior tight end Jeff Waldron (Costa Mesa, Calif.) made a behind-the-body 26-yard grab to the Alfred State 13-yard line for his lone catch of the game.

After the Pioneers were forced to punt for the seventh time, Southern Virginia finished a 13-play, 47-yard drive that took off 7:02 late in the third quarter on Jones' second touchdown pass of the game as he hit sophomore wide receiver Michael Kilstrom (Upper Arlington, Ohio) for four yards to extend the lead 14-0.

The Knights picked off two passes from back-up quarterback Caldwell in the fourth quarter, including a 26-yard interception return by linebacker Dakoda Winsor (Richland, Wash.)—who had six tackles with 1.5 tackles-for-loss—to set up Southern Virginia's final touchdown on an 11-yard scamper by sophomore wide receiver Ethan Condiff (Spring, Texas) with 3:07 left in the game.

On the ensuing kickoff, Alfred State got on the board as Shawn Charles returned the ball 83 yards to the house to cut the deficit to 21-6.

"Our offensive line did a good job of run blocking today, allowing us to move the ball and score points in the second half," said Fitzgerald.

The Knights outgained the Pioneers 196-193 in total offensive yards with 137 of those yards coming on the ground, highlighted by freshman Frank Taitano's (Washington, D.C.) team-high 54 yards on 12 carries.

For its final home game of the season, Southern Virginia will host familiar NAIA-foe Webber International—having lost to the Warriors during each of the past four seasons—on November 3 at Robert E. "Bobby" Williams Field.