FERRUM, Virginia -- Ferrum College picked up its first football win of the season, hanging on for a 33-28 victory over Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) opponent Southern Virginia University tonight at Knight Stadium.

RECORDS
Ferrum (1-2, 1-2 ODAC)
Southern Virginia (0-3, 0-3 ODAC)

THE BASICS
The Panthers got things started early, as Tylan McElhenie found pay dirt, hauling in a Titus Jones pass from 20 yards out after Southern Virginia muffed the opening kick-off and Ferrum took the early 7-0 lead. Jack Sheehan then added two field goals, the first from 32 yards out and the other from 22 yards, putting the Panthers up 13-0.

Collen Shaw then made it 20-0 after catching a Jones pass from the backfield and scoring from five yards out with 7:32 left until the halftime break. Southern Virginia found the scoreboard three minutes later as Matthew Johansson caught a Davis Pinkston pass from 15 yards out to cut it to 20-7. McElhenie answered right back with his second score of the half, this one from 19 yards out, to push it to 27-7 with just five ticks left in the half as the Panthers took a 27-7 lead into the break.

Southern Virginia marked the only score from either team in the third quarter, as a Jake Lindsey run from 13 yards out cut the Panther lead to 27-14. The fourth quarter saw the Knights score two touchdowns unanswered, both off of Johansson rushing scores, the first from just a yard out and the second being 33 yards out and Southern Virginia took a 28-27 lead with 8:49 left to play. That score would stand until 1:15 left in regulation as J'Sean Dupuy would convert the eventual game-winning touchdown run from 11 yards out. Ferrum failed on the two-point PAT attempt, but the Panther defense held from there for the win.

KEY STATS
Ferrum: Jones 18-37, 253 yds, 3 TD; McElhenie 4 rec, 110 yds, 2 TD; Billy Higgins 10 tackles
SVU: Pinkston 20-45, 193 yds, 2 TD; Johansson 8 rec, 81 yds, 2 TD; Apodaca 17 tackles, 4.5 TFL

BEHIND THE WHISTLE
"Incredible team win. I thought the coaches and players found a way to shift the momentum late to scrap out a hard fought win. The guys and staff showed a lot of poise and found a way! We have a long way to go and several things to clean up on offense, defense and special teams. This team has a lot of fight and I'm confident we'll will come out this week and work hard to get better as we prepare for our upcoming opponent." --Head Coach Cleive Adams

UP NEXT
Coach Cleive Adams' team will be back in action Friday, March 26, at Guilford College. The ODAC game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start in Greensboro, North Carolina.