Nov. 7, 2009

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Despite rallying from a 17-point halftime deficit and holding Delaware State scoreless in the game's final 30 minutes of play, the Rams of Winston-Salem State could not overcome the Hornets on Saturday afternoon at Bowman Gray Stadium as DSU handed WSSU a 24-21 defeat to drop the Rams to 1-8 on the season.

To say the first 30 minutes of play started inauspiciously for the Rams would prove to be an understatement as Winston-Salem State turned the ball over on five of their seven first-half possessions, a series of events which saw the Hornets capitalize with 14 quick points.

The Hornets broke a scoreless deadlock with a Riley Flickinger 26-yard field goal at the 6:24 mark of the first quarter and would waste no time adding to an early 3-0 lead with a Jerome Strums 21-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown only 32 seconds later as DSU jumped out to a 10-0 advantage.

Just over four minutes later the Rams would record their first points of the contest as sophomore wide receiver Dominique Fitzgerald caught the first of his two touchdowns of the game as he hauled in a seven yard touchdown pass from reserve quarterback Brandon Williams to cut WSSU's deficit to 10-7.

DSU would break the contest open in the second quarter as the Hornets scored a pair of touchdowns in the games' second 15 minutes of play as Jaashawn Jones and Anthony Glaud each punched into the Rams' endzone to give the Hornets what would seem to be an insurmountable lead at 24-7 headed into the locker room at halftime.

To WSSU's credit the Rams would not die in the second half as Jarrett Dunston found Dominique Fitzgerald from six yards out and found Omar Kizzie from 16-yards out as Winston-Salem State mounted a serious comeback attempt.

However, a missed field goal that hit the right upright and a difficult roughing the kicker penalty that gave the Hornets a new set of downs late in the contest would prove to be the proverbial nail in WSSU's coffin as the Hornets hung on for their third victory of the season.

"We keep giving them away" WSSU head coach Kermit Blount said in postgame interviews. "We turn the ball over five times in the first half and that's the story right there. You can't win football games like that" Blount added.

"We keep giving them away. We turn the ball over five times in the first half and that's the story right there. You can't win football games like that" WSSU head coach Kermit Blount

The loss, WSSU's sixth straight at home and their 10th loss in their last 11 home games, drops the Rams to 1-8 overall while the Hornets improve to 3-6 on the season with the victory.

Winston-Salem State returns to action on Nov. 14 at 1:00 p.m. as they welcome the Eagles of North Carolina Central University to Bowman Gray Stadium for the final home game of the 2009 season.

"We just did not play well in the first half. We are going to line back down on Monday and get back to work and get ready for another one. We are going to keep positive and motivated and line down and get ready for another football game." Kermit Blount commented.

"Nothing is coming easy for us right now. But that is why we continue to play the games." Blount said.

For additional information on WSSU football, contact the Winston-Salem State University Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at WSSURams.com.