Charleston, W.Va. – The University of Charleston football team closed out its home slate with a 45-28 win over West Liberty on Saturday afternoon at UC Stadium. The Golden Eagles used a dominant ground attack and a huge fourth quarter to pull away for their seventh win of the season.

The Basics:
Location: University of Charleston Stadium (Charleston, W.Va.)
Score: Charleston 45, West Liberty 28
Records: UC 7-3 (6-1 MEC), WLU 2-8 (2-5 MEC)

How it Happened:

The Golden Eagles wasted little time getting on the board after forcing a fumble on West Liberty's opening drive. UC's defense set the tone early, with Nick Williams recovering the loose ball at the Hilltoppers' 28-yard line. Four plays later, Joshua Donald finished the drive with a six-yard touchdown run at 12:35 to put Charleston ahead 7-0.

After another defensive stand, the Golden Eagles extended their lead. Quarterback Matthew Frye led a five-play, 45-yard scoring drive that ended with a perfectly placed 22-yard touchdown pass to Marquan Herron at the 8:11 mark, pushing the lead to 14-0. West Liberty responded before the end of the quarter, putting together a 75-yard drive capped by a seven-yard touchdown pass to cut the margin to 14-7 after one.

The second quarter swung in the Hilltoppers' favor as they scored twice through the air. West Liberty tied the game at 10:31 on a 14-yard touchdown pass, then took the lead at 1:54 with a 20-yard scoring strike to make it 21-14. UC didn't flinch. Frye orchestrated a two-minute drill to close the half, moving the offense 65 yards in 10 plays before Donald powered his way in from two yards out with just 16 seconds left. The Golden Eagles entered halftime tied 21-21 and carrying momentum into the break.

Charleston's defense came out firing in the second half, forcing two punts and limiting the Hilltoppers' offense to just nine total yards in the third quarter. UC took advantage of the field position, and kicker Gryffin Mitstifer connected on a 24-yard field goal at the 7:18 mark to give the Golden Eagles a 24-21 lead heading into the final frame.

West Liberty briefly regained momentum to start the fourth quarter with a 13-play, 88-yard drive, punching in a five-yard touchdown to move in front 28-24 at 14:55. The lead didn't last long. UC's return team set up excellent field position, and two plays later Jaylen Butera broke through the line for a nine-yard touchdown run at 14:12 to reclaim a 31-28 advantage.

From there, the Golden Eagles controlled the game on both sides of the ball. Charleston's offensive line imposed its will in the trenches, paving the way for a clock-chewing 12-play drive that ended with another Butera touchdown, this time from three yards out at 4:45 to extend the lead to 38-28. The UC defense responded with a critical stop on downs, and two plays later Donald sealed the win with a 10-yard touchdown run at 2:41 to make it 45-28.

Charleston's offense finished with 207 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground, led by Donald with 78 yards and three scores, while Butera added 91 yards and two touchdowns. Frye threw for 139 yards and a touchdown, and the defense stepped up late, allowing just one score over the final 29 minutes of play.

With the victory, the Golden Eagles improve to 7-3 overall and 6-1 in MEC competition.

 
Up Next:
Charleston Football is set to face West Virginia State University next Saturday with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Lakin-Ray Field at Dickerson Stadium.