BSU Diaz-Aviles 41-Yard Field Goal Lifts Bulldogs Past Virginia Union 20-17 on Overtime

RICHMOND, Virginia  --  Bowie State University senior Mario Diaz-Aviles (Washington, D.C.) booted a (career-best) 41 yard field goal in overtime to lift the Bulldogs to a thrilling 20-17 victory over the Panthers of Virginia Union University. The win moves the Bowie State record to 3-5 overall (3-2 in the CIAA) while the Panthers record goes to 6-2 overall (4-1 in the CIAA).

Bulldogs graduate student Matthew Goggans (Pine Grove, Calif.) came off the bench to lead Bowie State's offense with 110 passing yards, completing 12-of-34 and had one interception. Redshirt senior Keith Brown (Temple Hills, Md.) rushed for a game-high 49 yards and redshirt junior Kendall Jefferson (Temple Hills, Md.) added 32 rushing yards.

Junior Garry Cropper (Odenton, Md.) led Bowie State in reception yards with 49 on three receptions. Graduate student Christopher Townsend (Washington, D.C.) recorded a game-high 11 tackles for the Bulldogs while junior Anthony McDaniel (Fort Washington, MD) tallied nine tackles and four sacks. McDaniel's four sacks tied the school record set by Randy Norris (1988 vs. Johnson C. Smith).

As a team, the Bulldogs racked a nine total sacks on the afternoon, tying the school record set back in 1988 vs. North Carolina Central.

Virginia Union's third string quarterback Dane James came off the bench to pace the Panthers offense with 149 passing yards, completing 14-of-29 passes but was intercepted twice and sacked five times. The Panthers defense was led by Darrell Lamb's nine total tackles followed by Dominique Roane and Charles Davis with eight each.

The Panthers scored the first points of the afternoon via a school record 51-yard field goal by Troy Krepich for the early 3-0 Virginia Union first quarter lead.

With 3:42 left in the second quarter, Bowie State redshirt junior Kendall Jefferson (Temple Hills, Md.) scampered around the left end for a two yard score. Diaz-Aviles added the extra point, giving the Bulldogs a 7-3 lead, capping off a 10-play, 35 yard drive.

VUU's Panthers respond with a 38-yard Dane James to Jussie York pass and catch for six. Krepich converted the PAT to shift the advantage back over to Virginia Union at 10-7 with 2:20 left in second quarter and stayed that way into halftime. Yussie hauled in seven receptions for a game-high 103 yards and Lennworth Lennon had eight receptions for 93 yards.

Bowie State junior Curtis Pumphrey (Laurel, Md.) forced a Panthers fumble which was recovered by Christopher Townsend and returned 36 yards for a Bulldogs touchdown at the 11:55 mark of the third quarter. The Diaz-Aviles extra point gave the Bulldogs a 14-10 lead.

Virginia Union's Jerome Robinson busted up the middle for a 15-yard rushing touchdown and the Krepich point after made the score 17-14 at the 6:12 mark of the third.

The Bulldogs missed a huge scoring opportunity early in the fourth quarter when Bennett was intercepted in the Virginia Union end zone. The Panthers pushed the ball down to the BSU 13 yard line but came away empty.

Bowie State's Diaz-Aviles tied the game at 17-all at the 4:04 mark of the fourth quarter via a 27-yard field goal.

Both teams had opportunities in the final minutes of regulation but couldn't score, sending the game into overtime. With four seconds remaining in regulation, Virginia Union's Krepich could have been the hero, but missed a 37-yard field goal as time expired, sending the game into overtime.

In the overtime period, Virginia Union went on offense first but saw their first two plays result into back-to-back sacks with the third play being an interception by Pumphrey, his second of the game.

Following Pumphrey's pick, Bowie State got their first overtime opportunity with their first two plays netting a minus five yard. On third and 15 from the Panthers 30 yard line, Goggans scrambled and rushed for six yards to the VUU 24 yard line, setting up Diaz-Aviles for the game winning field goal.

The Bulldogs will play their final road contest of the season on a Saturday (November 1st) traveling to The Lincoln University for a 1 pm kickoff.

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