Greensboro, N.C. – The Southern Virginia University football team dropped its conference opener Saturday afternoon, falling 42-20 to the Pride of Greensboro College.
The Pride's second-half performance proved decisive, as Greensboro outscored the Knights 21-0 over the final two quarters to pull away.
Greensboro struck first on the fifth play of the game, connecting on a 53-yard touchdown pass to take an early 7-0 lead.
The Knights responded late in the first quarter as Devin Watson led the passing attack while Kendrick Worthington and Brandon Dupaix powered the ground game. Southern Virginia capped the drive with Watson connecting with Garrett Burke for a touchdown on fourth down to tie the game at 7-7 heading into the second quarter.
Southern Virginia continued its momentum to open the second quarter, forcing a three-and-out before Watson connected with Worthington on a 47-yard touchdown pass to put the Knights ahead 14-7.
The Knights took over again following a turnover on downs at midfield and quickly capitalized. Watson connected with Jax Vanchiere for a 50-yard touchdown, extending Southern Virginia's lead to 20-7 with eight minutes remaining in the first half.
Greensboro responded immediately with another 53-yard touchdown pass before putting together a 13-play drive that ended with another touchdown, giving the Pride a 21-20 lead heading into halftime.
Greensboro took control after the break, shutting out the Knights over the final two quarters. The Pride forced two Southern Virginia turnovers, limited the Knights to just nine rushing yards and held Southern Virginia to 0-for-4 on fourth-down attempts in the second half.
Scott Pese led the Knights defensively with 13 tackles, including 12 solo stops, and recorded Southern Virginia's only quarterback hurry.
Vanchiere led the Knights' receiving corps with six receptions for 101 yards.
Southern Virginia will look to bounce back next Saturday, Oct. 10, when the Knights return home to host Brevard College at Knight Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. The Knights will look for their first victory over the Tornadoes.
For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knight_ftbl on Instagram or X.
