Box Score

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A tremendous defensive showing against No. 11 ranked WV Wesleyan handed first year head coach Pat Kirkland a marquee victory in what has been a rollercoaster of a rookie season. UC accumulated five interceptions and six sacks to down the Bobcats 28-17, Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Eagles (4-6, 4-3) knew they had a mighty task ahead of them facing off against the West Virginia Conference leaders who tout the top quarterback in NCAA Division II in Adam Neugebauer. Neugebauer entered the afternoon leading all Division II with 365.6 yards per game, while tossing for 3,290 total yards with just eight interceptions in 418 attempts.

UC knew that to stand a chance to keep the WV Wesleyan offense from putting up unbelievable numbers they would have to disrupt in any way possible the tempo of Neugebauer. The opening kickoff of the game seemingly provided a snapshot of how the day was expected to go for Charleston as TJ Benners returned to kick for WVWC for 61 yards to the University of Charleston 25 yard line. It took Neugebauer just one play to silence the Senior Day crowd at UC Stadium with a 25 yard touchdown pass to confirm indeed that he was exactly as good as his numbers looked.

The rollercoaster that has been the 2011 season continued on the Golden Eagles second touch of the day as a steady dose of the rushing duo of Jordan Roberts (Madison, WV) and Maurice Leak (Waxhaw, NC) found success against a Bobcat defensive unit that is in the top two of the majority of statistical categories in the WVIAC. UC matriculated down the field to the WVWC 11 yard line before the momentum shifted again as Leak was intercepted on a tipped ball along the home sideline ending the scoring threat.

Neugebauer went back to work for WV Wesleyan doing as he has all season long and quickly working his team down the field to the Charleston three yard line. Just as it looked like WVWC would slip into the endzone to extend their lead Landon Bonner (Marietta, GA) struck for the Golden Eagle defense to light the fuse that would take over the game. Bonner nailed Neugebauer for a 16-yard loss with the first sack of the day. On the next play, Matt Kelly (Cincinnati, OH) ended the Bobcat threat as he pummeled Neugebauer for back-to-back sacks, but on the initial hit Kelly managed to knock the ball free to be recovered by Charleston's Matt Duncan (Jonesborough, TN). The play ignited the UC bench and the crowd.

Leak went to work again finding gaps to run through along with Roberts against the WV Wesleyan defensive scheme. A 37-yard completion from Leak to Daniel Cherry (Jacksonville, FL) showed the Golden Eagles that despite any numbers or national ranking the Bobcats were capable of falling. The pass set up a 13-yard scamper by Leak who made at least four WVWC defenders miss on his way to the endzone to knot the game at 7-7.

On the first defensive stand of the second quarter the continuous pressure throughout the UC defense finally paid off as Jeff Bryant benefited with the day's first interception on a ball deflected by the Golden Eagle secondary who stepped up with physical play all day. The pick lead to Charleston leaning back on start tailback Roberts who worked the ball down the field and grabbed a UC lead (14-7) with a physical 10-yard touchdown run.

The next WVWC possession produced negative yards against a Charleston defense out to make a statement leading to a three and out. In what was possibly inconceivable pre-game UC took a 14-point advantage after Roberts broke free for a 21-yard touchdown ending a three-play drive that took just 1:10 off the clock.  WV Wesleyan managed to pick up a 31 yard field goal with seven second left before halftime to send UC to the locker room with a 21-10 lead.

Defense was 100% of the story in the second half. West Virginia Wesleyan made enough adjustments to quiet the Roberts/Leak show from the first half, yet they found no answer for a swarming Golden Eagle secondary. Trei Kelly (Glen Allen, VA) ended the first drive for the Bobcats with an acrobatic interception. UC needed ever possession they could to run the clock and keep attacking what gaps the offense was able to find in a revived Bobcat defense.

Neugebauer found some room to operate just before the third period ended as he connected on seven passes in a nine-play drive to pull his team within 21-17. UC got the message that the No. 11 team in the country is not going to roll over without a fight, but it was a fight that the Golden Eagles were willing to step in on.

After a 51-yard Puma Nuredini (Naples, FL) punt pinned WVWC deep in their own territory the visitors went back to the one game plan they knew.....the long ball. After a 15-yard Neugebauer completion the UC defense went back to the aggressive style that had dominated the first half and on the second play of the drive it paid off as Hassan Coleman (Columbus, OH) found his way in front of his man for his first interception of the day.

Charleston's offense continued to eat away clock, but was unable to find the successes of the first half against the Bobcat defense but doing enough to send the game into the fourth quarter with a slim 21-17 advantage. Every snap of the ball allowed Neugebauer to be one play closer to brining his team back as they have done all season long, putting the UC Stadium crowd on the edge of their seats. On this day though the University of Charleston defense proved they would not bow down with Bam Harrison (Cincinnati, OH) ending the second-straight WVWC drive with an interception.

After the teams traded possessions UC took the ball with nine minutes left to play. A strong count at the line drew the Bobcat defense offside, yet Leak lofted a homerun ball nearly vertical in the air with the free play which was corralled by speedster Derrick Taylor (St. Augustine, FL) for a 25-yard completion. The catch pumped energy back into the UC bench and into Roberts who took four carries before vaulting into the endzone for his third score of the day and sealing a 28-17 lead.

The next drive, Charleston stopped WV Wesleyan on a fourth down attempt, but the game was not completely put away until Coleman out-jumped two WVWC receivers to haul in his second interception of the day leading to the victory formation for UC.

Five interceptions for the Golden Eagle defense ties a school record set in 2005.

WV Wesleyan outgained Charleston by a narrow 391-to-380 edge, yet the Golden Eagle rushing attack provided 252 yards in wearing down the Bobcat defense with the UC defense surrendering just 16 rushing yards.

Roberts paced the University of Charleston offensively with 160 yards rushing on 28 attempts for a 5.7 yard per carry average, while galloping for three TDs.

Leak completed just 7-of-25 passes, but struck when it was needed for 128 yards in the air, but his 46 yards and one score on the ground perhaps were the game changing numbers.

Kelly led the defensive effort with three sacks, three tackles for loss and the forced fumble that propelled UC to the win, while four players booked interceptions including two for Coleman. Senior Aaron Dunlap (St. Albans, WV) continued to be the leading tackler for Charleston with 10 total tackles, while also registering a pass breakup.

The win is the third-straight for the University of Charleston as they will close their 2011 season with a trip down I-64 to face Kanawha Valley rival West Virginia State on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 1:00 pm.