Box Score Charleston, W.Va. — Charleston used a dominant rushing attack and a stifling defensive effort to pull away from Glenville State, earning a 27-7 victory Saturday afternoon at University of Charleston Stadium.

The Basics:
Location: UC Stadium
Score: UC 27, GSU 7 
Records: Charleston 2-3 (2-0 MEC) Glenville 1-3 (0-1 MEC)

How it Happened:

The Golden Eagles (2-3, 2-0 MEC) controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the afternoon, piling up 213 rushing yards on 62 attempts while limiting Glenville State (1-3, 0-1 MEC) to just 36 yards on the ground. Charleston also held a 355-184 advantage in total offense and possessed the ball for nearly 38 minutes.  

Charleston opened the scoring with a pair of first-quarter field goals from Zachary Alvarez, who connected from 23 and 39 yards to give the Golden Eagles a 6-0 advantage. 

Glenville State briefly moved in front early in the second quarter after Jamir Fox scored on a 1-yard run, but Charleston answered with a methodical 10-play, 75-yard drive. Zachariah Williams capped the march with a 1-yard touchdown run, putting the Golden Eagles back on top, 13-7. 

Charleston's defense then made one of its biggest plays of the afternoon. After quarterback Camden Reese was intercepted early in the second quarter, the Golden Eagles defense prevented Glenville State from turning the turnover into anything more than a touchdown. The defense finished with five tackles for loss and an interception, while Glenville State converted just four of 14 third-down opportunities. 

The Golden Eagles seized control immediately after halftime. Charleston drove 70 yards in just four plays, with Reese finding Williams for a 7-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 20-7 with 12:44 remaining in the third quarter.  

Reese was a major factor on the ground as well as through the air. He completed 9 of 16 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown while rushing 13 times for a team-high 111 yards, including a 65-yard run to start the second half. 

Williams added 20 rushing yards and two touchdowns while catching the 7-yard scoring pass. Jaylen Butera provided the final touchdown of the day, breaking through for a 9-yard scoring run with 8:15 remaining in the fourth quarter to cap an eight-play, 66-yard drive. 

Charleston's ground game was balanced by Jamal Wallace's 43 rushing yards, Kalen Washington's 25 and Joshua Donald's 16. Through the air, Devin Hobbs led the Golden Eagles with 49 receiving yards, including a 44-yard reception during Charleston's second-quarter scoring drive. 

The Golden Eagles finished with 20 first downs and converted 8 of 18 third downs while going a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone. Glenville State managed only 12 first downs and was held to 3.3 yards per play. 

Charleston's defense also came up with a key turnover when Nesta Owens picked off Glenville State's Maddox Bowers. 

With the victory, Charleston finished the afternoon with a 20-7 lead after three quarters and completed the 27-7 victory without allowing Glenville State to score in the second half.

The Golden Eagles' performance was defined by ball control, a physical running game and a defense that consistently forced Glenville State into difficult downs. Charleston ran 78 offensive plays to Glenville State's 55 and held a 37:58-to-20:39 advantage in possession time. 

Up Next:
Charleston has a week off before hosting Wheeling on Saturday, October 10th. Kickoff set for 1:00 inside UC Stadium at Laidley Field.