Vyncint Smith
Senior Vyncint Smith hauled in 11 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown.
20
Limestone LC 2-2
27
Winner North Greenville NGU 3-1
Limestone LC
2-2
20
Final
27
North Greenville NGU
3-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
LC Limestone 0 13 7 0 20
NGU North Greenville 0 7 20 0 27

Game Recap: Football | | Ernest Meyers, Assistant A.D. for Media Relations

Limestone Rally Comes Up Short in 27-20 Loss to NGU

TIGERVILLE, S.C. – The Limestone College football team nearly overcame a third-quarter surge by the home team as it had an opportunity to tie the game in the closing seconds, but the rally would come up short as North Greenville University held on for a 27-20 nonconference win on Saturday, September 23.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: North Greenville 27, Limestone 20
Records: North Greenville (3-1), Limestone (2-2)
Location: Younts Stadium
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 
  • Sophomore QB Ivan Corbin, Jr. (Warner Robins, Ga.) went 16-of-34 for 226 yards and TD
  • Corbin added 44 yards and two touchdowns on the ground
  • Senior WR Vyncint Smith (Columbia, S.C.) finished with 11 catches for 158 yards and a TD
  • Freshman RB Jerko'ya Patton (Charlotte, N.C.) rushed for 109 yards on 19 carries
  • Redshirt-senior LB Evan Patrick (Charlotte, N.C.) led the defense with seven tackles
  • Sophomore LB Jacob Carver (Nicholas, Ga.) added six tackles
  • The Saints finished with 414 yards of total offense, but surrendered 441 yards on defense
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
After a three-and-out by both teams, Limestone put together a productive drive on its second series and appeared to a have a first-and-goal at the 3-yard line following a 37-yard burst by Patton. However, three costly penalties would bring the drive to a halt as the game remained scoreless in the early going.
 
The Crusaders responded with their best series of the first quarter, but a strip by junior Raymond Hall (Columbia, S.C.) and a fumble recovery by redshirt-junior Sheldon Reid (Goose Creek, S.C.) ended the drive. Limestone put up 117 yards of offense over the first quarter, but the score remained deadlocked.
 
Second Quarter
 
The Blue and Gold capitalized on the turnover as Corbin capped a 12-play, 69-yard drive with a 10-yard TD run to give the Saints a 7-0 lead. Corbin finished with 33 yards on three carries on the scoring drive while adding 20 yards through the air, but the Crusaders quickly tied things on the ensuing possession.
 
Following a 41-yard touchdown run by NGU's Austin Heard, Corbin found Smith on a stop-and-go for a 31-yard touchdown reception as Limestone regained the lead, 13-7, with 7:17 remaining. The duo connected twice on the drive for 18 yards before Smith hauled in his first touchdown of the season.
 
Limestone's defense came up with a big stop on North Greenville's ensuring possession as freshman Mannie Ogletree (North Augusta, S.C.) picked off a pass in the endzone to halt an 11-play, 46-yard drive. The Crusaders then miss a 47-yard field goal late as the Saints carried a 13-7 advantage into the break.
 
Third Quarter
 
North Greenville cut the margin to 13-10 on its first possession of the second half, and then came up with a big defensive play as Johnny Worthy intercepted an underthrown pass on Limestone's first drive. The Crusaders used the momentum shift to take its first lead, 17-13, on a 13-yard touchdown run by Heard.
 
A mistake in the return game put Limestone at its one-inch line to start the next drive before Patton was tackled in the endzone for a safety to make it a 19-13 contest. The Saints had no answer in slowing down the Crusaders as the home team extended the margin to 27-13 on the very next series.
 
Limestone responded with a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive, capped by a seven-yard touchdown run by Corbin. The possession was highlighted by a 39-yard pass play from Corbin to senior Austin Crowe (Boiling Springs, S.C.) on a 4th-and-10 as the Saints trimmed the lead to 27-20 to close the third.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
The Limestone defense kept North Greenville off the scoreboard in the fourth, and then senior Ken Reichle (Groove City, Ohio) made a big tackle of 4th-and-1 with less than two minutes left. Starting at their own 37, Corbin hit Smith for gains of 12 and 10 yards to move the Saints to the NGU 35-yard line.
 
The Blue and Gold's bid to force a third straight overtime game ended there, however, as the Crusaders picked off Corbin just shy of the goal line with 25 ticks on the clock.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Limestone appeared to be in control until a turnover in the third quarter turned the tide in favor of North Greenville. The Crusaders rattled off 20 straight points that featured two touchdowns, a field goal, a safety, and a 2-point conversion.
 
NOTABLES
 
  • The Saints led at halftime for the first time in the 2017 season
  • Limestone falls to 0-3 all-time against the Crusaders
  • After going 4-2 on the road last season, the Blue and Gold slips to 0-2 this year
  • Patton has put together back-to-back 100-yard rushing games
  • Smith registered his sixth career 100-yard receiving game
  • Corbin tied Jonathan Clark as the program's all-time leader in career touchdown passes
 
UP NEXT
 
Limestone is back on the road next weekend as it travels to face Mars Hill University in South Atlantic Conference action on Saturday, September 30. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.   
 
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