By Wesley Evans

BUENA VISTA, Va.—Playing on its home turf for just the second time, the Southern Virginia University football team fell to visiting Morrisville State by a 47-23 score Saturday afternoon at The Fields in Buena Vista, Virginia.

It was an offensive onslaught for both teams as Morrisville State racked up 586 yards of total offense—302 passing and 284 on the ground—while the Knights gained a season-high 457 yards of their own—340 through the air and 117 rushing.

The first quarter seemed slow compared to the rest of the game, with Morrisville leading the Knights by a rare 6-5 score by the end of the first quarter.

Southern Virginia struck first when, after a Robert Robbins interception on the Mustangs' opening drive; Kieren Phelps put a 27-yard field goal attempt through the uprights, capping a 15 play, 84-yard drive for the home team.

Gaining momentum off a Southern Virginia fumble, putting the Mustangs in solid field position, Morrisville quarterback Lemar Johnson rushed three yards for the visitor's first score. On the ensuing extra point attempt, Mustang kicker Zach Drake was blocked by Southern Virginia's Matthew Gregory and defensive back Nathan Barrett scooped up the ball and returned it 98 yards to give Southern Virginia a rare defensive two-point conversion.

The second quarter saw the Knights regain the lead early as Phelps knocked in another field goal—this time from 26 yards out—to give Southern Virginia an 8-6 advantage.

After a Morrisville State punt, Southern Virginia quarterback Mitch Stevenson had his pass intercepted by Shane Carroll, who returned the ball 30 yards to put the Mustangs into Knight territory. The Morrisville State offense then took off as it scored 34 unanswered points spanning the second and third quarters—highlighted by an Anthony Mella 95 yard pass from quarterback Lemar Johnson.

After nearly 11 minutes of scoreless action in the fourth quarter and Morrisville State leading 40-8, Stevenson found wide receiver Chris Harper (5-63) for an 11-yard touchdown pass, with Jerry Washington completing the two-point conversion off a pass again from Stevenson.

The Mustangs would score a minute-and-a-half later off a Darrel West four yard run, before freshman quarterback Bryan Phillips found Bryan Lorenzen in the end zone for an 11 yard pass to give Southern Virginia its final score of the game.

Stevenson finished with a season-high 279 yards passing (21-47) and one touchdown for the Knights, while running back Jerry Washington picked up a team-leading 59 yards on 21 rushes on the ground.

Kyler Harris led all Southern Virginia receivers with 85 yards on seven receptions.

Defensively, Gregory owned a team high seven tackles—all solo—to go along with his blocked extra point. Steven Scott and Keaton Epps finished with six tackles each, while Robbins brought down five Mustangs, respectively.

Johnson led Morrisville State with 302 yards through the air and 117 on the ground to go along with four touchdowns—two passing and two rushing.

Football is back in action next Saturday as it travels to Glassboro, New Jersey, to take on NJAC opponent Rowan University. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.