Buena Vista, VA – Southern Virginia took advantage of four turnovers converting several into short scoring drives as the Knights knocked off Montclair State, 34-21 in the season opener for both teams on Saturday.

Quarterback Davis Pinkston threw for 184 yards and three touchdowns as SVU (1-0) earned its first victory against MSU in six all-time meetings. The two were meeting a non-conference foes after spending the last five as members of the NJAC.

Junior JA'QUILL BURCH completed 25 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns for the Red Hawks (0-1), which outgained the Knights 469-280 in the game but were done in by the turnovers. Running back CRAIG MERKLE rushed for 75 yards while KASON CAMPBELL hauled in six passes for 139 yards.

Southern Virginia came up with a big play early blocking a punt and recovering it at the MSU 22 yardline. After converting a 4^th-and-1, Pinkston hit Cade Nelson at the Montclair 3. ZACK ZACCONE forced the ball from Nelson however the latter was able to recover it in the end zone for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 9:40 left in the opening quarter.

Montclair would get on the board in the second as Burch engineered an 80-yard drive capping it off with a 25-yard touchdown toss to CARSEN JOHNSON on the first play of the new period. The extra point was missed leading the score at 7-6.

ANTHONY MARINELLI connected from 22 yards putting the Red Hawks on top 9-7 midway through the third period. Jacob Taloa intercepted a Burch pass later in the quarter at the MSU 35. The Knights took advantage as Pinkston hit Josh Newman for a 14-yard touchdown and a 14-9 lead with 2:08 to go.  Caleb Sturges picked off his own ball on the next Montclair possession giving the Knights the ball at the MSU 26. Pinkston hit Kevin Adams on the next play as Southern Virginia extended the lead to 22-9 after the two-point conversion attempt failed.

Montclair State marched to the SVU 17 in the early portion of the fourth however that ended with another interception, this one by Justin Mitchell. The Knights would stall on the drive but got the ball back as MSU muffed the ensuing punt return giving SVU the ball at the Montclair 29. The Red Hawks held for the first three downs but a pass interference on fourth down kept the drive going. Two plays later Avika Wedge rushed in from the six widening the lead to 28-9 with 4:56 to play in the game.

MSU quickly answered with a 70-yard drive that finished off with a Burch 8-yard pass to BRIAN KOWALCZYK 86 seconds later cutting the deficit to 28-15. Montclair tried an on-side kick however Newman
scooped up the ball at the Montclair 45 and raced all the way to the end zone for a touchdown pushing the lead back to 34-15.

Montclair State scored with 1:51 remaining as Burch connected with MITCH CHUGUNOV on a 33-yard scoring strike. But that would be as close as the Red Hawks would get.

Kowalczyk and MIKE MANZO-LEWIS had five catches apiece. Zaccone led the Red Hawks with 10 tackles along with a pair of breakups ADENS GEORGES and BRENNAN RAY posted eight tackles each.

The Red Hawks remain on the road for their next game. MSU travels to Newport, RI to face Salve Regina University at 12:00 pm.