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23
Winner Southern Va. SVU 3-4 , 2-2
19
Belhaven BEL 3-4 , 2-2
Winner
Southern Va. SVU
3-4 , 2-2
23
Final
19
Belhaven BEL
3-4 , 2-2
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
SVU Southern Va. 0 8 0 15 23
BEL Belhaven 7 5 7 0 19

Game Recap: Football | | Athletics Communications

Blazers Fall Late to Southern Virginia

JACKSON, Miss. - Belhaven was less than a minute from adding another Homecoming win when Southern Virginia found the end zone one last time.

Backup quarterback Rylen Balser connected with Jalen Lackey for a 37-yard touchdown with 46 seconds remaining Saturday, giving the Knights a 23-19 win before a crowd of 2,478 at Belhaven Bowl Stadium. The Blazers led 19-8 entering the fourth quarter, but Southern Virginia scored the final 15 points.

Belhaven (3-4, 2-2 USA South) had a chance to put the game away after Mathew Cacamo intercepted Balser and returned the ball 23 yards to the Southern Virginia 30 with 4:16 left. Two plays later, the Knights recovered a sack-fumble. They drove 61 yards for the winning score, extending the possession with a roughing-the-passer call and a pass-interference penalty on fourth down.

Matthew Dial moved Belhaven across midfield on its final possession with a 27-yard completion to Johnathan Lampkin. A Southern Virginia pass interference penalty advanced the ball to the Knights 32 yard-line, but Dial's final pass fell incomplete as time expired.

The result ended Belhaven's four-game Homecoming winning streak and gave Southern Virginia (3-4, 2-2) its first victory over the Blazers in five meetings.

How It Happened

First Quarter: Belhaven took advantage of a short field on its opening possession. Julien Tabor converted fourth-and-one with a 10-yard run, and Dial found Lampkin for a 28-yard touchdown on third down to finish a seven-play, 47-yard drive. Lyndell Boatman's extra point made it 7-0.

Second Quarter: Kyle Norris pinned the Knights at their 1-yard line with a 51-yard punt late in the first quarter. On the next snap, Tre Chaffier and Quincy Jackson stopped Kendrick Worthington in the end zone for a safety. Belhaven followed with a 10-play drive, converting another fourth down before Boatman hit a 39-yard field goal for a 12-0 lead.

Southern Virginia answered quickly. Devin Watson found Lackey for a 57-yard touchdown, and Brandon DuPaix caught the two-point conversion to make it 12-8. Belhaven drove to the Knights' 21 later in the quarter, but Scott Pese blocked Boatman's 38-yard field-goal attempt. Southern Virginia reached the Belhaven 9 in the closing seconds before Jimmy Byrd sacked Watson as the half expired.

Third Quarter: Belhaven's defense protected the four-point lead through the opening exchanges, and the offense struck in two plays. Ian Burleson hit Nehemiah Philip for 58 yards, then found Dwayne Winfield for a 14-yard touchdown. The 72-yard drive took 47 seconds and pushed the lead to 19-8 with 6:38 left in the quarter.

The Knights got the ball at the Belhaven 14 after a sack-fumble and penalty, but the Blazers held on fourth down at their 8. Clayton Mains then broke off runs of 8, 10 and 10 yards to move Belhaven away from its goal line.

Fourth Quarter: Southern Virginia cut into the lead with a 16-play, 88-yard drive. Balser converted fourth-and-eight with a nine-yard run, and Worthington scored from 21 yards out. DuPaix ran in the two-point conversion, pulling the Knights within 19-16 with 7:22 left.

Cacamo's interception gave Belhaven the ball deep in Southern Virginia territory, but the Knights recovered a fumble on the ensuing possession. On their final drive, Balser found Lackey from 37 yards out on third-and-12 for the go-ahead touchdown. Belhaven reached the Southern Virginia 32 on its last possession but could not answer.

Dial finished 13-of-23 for 147 yards and a touchdown. Burleson completed all three of his passes for 69 yards and a score. Philip led Belhaven with four catches for 87 yards, while Lampkin caught four passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.

Byrd had 10 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks. John Ross Craven led the Blazers with 11 tackles; Chaffier and Jackson had eight apiece. Belhaven finished with seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Norris averaged 54.6 yards on five punts and placed four inside the 20.

Southern Virginia totaled 411 yards to Belhaven's 227. Lackey caught 11 passes for 215 yards and both of the Knights' receiving touchdowns, one week after posting 201 yards and three touchdowns against Methodist. Seven Southern Virginia sacks helped limit Belhaven to 11 net rushing yards.

Belhaven heads to Fayetteville, North Carolina next week to face Methodist on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for noon Central.

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