| Box Score 3 Wheeling, W. Va. – For the second week in a row, the Wheeling University Football team (2-3 1-2) was back at Bishop Schmitt Field on Saturday. The Cardinals got out to a strong start, scoring 21 first half points, but it wasn't enough as Wheeling fell to the Braves 35-32. It would once again come down to the final minutes of the game, but the ball didn't bounce the Cardinal's way as they dropped to 1-2 in Mountain East Conference (MEC) play.

Both offenses took a while to get going in the game, as neither team would get on the board over the first 15 minutes of play. Wheeling would drive into Pembroke territory on the first possession of the day but a turnover on downs at the Brave's 38-yard line brought the drive to an end. The Cardinals would move the ball well in the corner, driving down into Pembroke territory on two of their three first drives of the game. On special teams, punter Trey Brady did his job, pinning the Braves inside their own 25 yard line in each of his three punts. UNC Pembroke got their scoring chance with 4:20 showing on the first half clock as Jackson Hill attempted a 41-yard field goal. The attempt would be blocked by Tazion Wallace, and by the end of the first quarter the score sat at 0-0.

On their first drive of the second quarter, the Cardinals would put their first long drive together, starting at the Brave's 35-yard line. Wheeling drove to the Pembroke one-yard line on 13 plays and, after a couple of failed attempts, put the ball in the hands of Dawaun Green. Green powered the ball into the end zone from one-yard out and the Cardinals took a 7-0 lead. The Cardinal's defense would go on to force a three-and-out as the offense came back out on the field. This time, they would start on their own 38-uard line and once again got down to the Pembroke one-yard line. This time, they put the ball in the hands of Steven Mitchell and he took it the rest of the way as the Cardinals went up 14-0. The two teams would trade turnovers on the next two possessions with Leonard Sherrod III getting an interception and the Braves forcing a fumble on the next play.

Pembroke would take advantage, being set up from their own 42-yard line and drove down the field. They would get on the board with a 42-yard touchdown pass that cut Wheeling's lead to 14-7. With two minutes left on the clock, Wheeling was looking to put more points on the board, and they set themselves up at the Pembroke six yard line. The Cardinals would go to the ground for their third rushing touchdown of the quarter, this time on a quarterback keeper by Javon Davis, and the Cardinals went into the locker room leading 21-7. After not getting on the board in the first quarter, the Cardinal's offense burst out in the second and Wheeling was looking to continue that momentum into the second half.

However, UNC Pembroke would get that momentum, holding the Cardinals to a three and out on their first possession. The Braves would get the ball back and drove 83-yards down the field, capping the drive off with a 20-Yard touchdown catch by Jaquan Albright and the Braves cut it to a one-score game. After another Wheeling drive stalled, the Braves would need just one play to get back into the end zone. It would be a 61-yard screen pass to Albright and the game was tied at 21-21. UNC Pembroke would add their third touchdown of the quarter, this an 85-yard pop pass and as the game headed to the final quarter it was a 28-21 Pembroke advantage. Wheeling was looking for an answer and got it on their first drive of the fourth quarter.

After missing on a field goal earlier in the game, Joao Lima lined up for a 29-yard field goal, and sailed it through the uprights to cut Pembroke's lead to 28-24. UNC Pembroke would add a touchdown on their following drive and the Cardinals would be down by 11 with 6:44 to go. Wheeling was looking to drive and they did just that, taking just under four minutes to get down to the Pembroke six yard line. Davis would throw a pass to the back of the end zone and Chris Charles made the toe tap catch for the touchdown. Davis would find Colin Oberdick on the two-poi t conversion and it was a three-point game at 35-32. The Cardinal defense needed one big stop and got it as they forced a Pembroke punt with 1:49 to play. However, a muffed punt would end the day as the Cardinals fell 35-32.

Javon Davis led the Cardinals on the day, going 25-37, while throwing for 271 yards on the day. He also added 12 carries for 18 yards and a touchdown as he rounded out the day. Steven Mitchell and Dawaun Green would each find the endzone on one-yard runs as the Cardinals ran for 92 yards as an offense. Tre Holloway would lead the receiving corps, making nine catches for 110 yards on the day, to go along with 89 kick return yards. Chris Charles pulled in the lone receiving touchdown of the day, and picked up 56 yards and five catches. Dalton Hoover would lead the defense with nine tackles, four solo and five assisted to round out the day.

The Wheeling University Football team returns to action on Saturday, October 12th, when they hit the road to face Charleston with kick-off at noon.