The Lindenwood football team (1-0, 1-0 OVC defeated Charleston Southern (0-1, 0-1 OVC) by a score of 20-17 on Thursday night from Steward Field at Hunter Stadium.
GAME OVERVIEW
The opening 15 minutes was a defensive battle as each team had their opening drive stall just inside the opponent 50. Neither CSU or Lindenwood found the endzone in the first with the game knotted at zero.
CSU put together its best drive of the contest to begin the second but the Lions held strong outside the end zone and held the Bucs to a field goal which put them up 3-0 at the 12:16 mark. Lindenwood answered right back with a field goal of its own, going on a 13-play, 64 yard drive to knot the game at three apiece with just over six minutes to go in the half.
On the ensuing offensive drive, the Buccaneers began to march down the field as the half was nearing an end. With 13 seconds left,
Isaac Edwards jumped in front of a pass and took it 80 yards to the house, giving the Lions a 10-3 lead just before the break.
The Lions began the third quarter with a stop and kept the momentum going. On the third play of the next possession,
Pops Battle found
Jalen Smith over the middle for a big 25-yard catch. A few plays later, Battle scrambled out to his left and walked in for six, putting the Black and Gold up 17-3 with just under 10 minutes to go. The Lindenwood defense continued to styme the Buccaneers offense and held a two score lead going into the fourth.
In the fourth, Graham drilled a 28-yard field goal to give the Lions a 20-10 lead with 5:36 to play. CSU kept battling and got it back to a one score game after converting a fourth down with 2:03 to play. However, the Lions were able to seal the win on a first down run by
Robert Giaimo and earn the 20-16 victory in the season opener.
GAME LEADERS
Pops Battle (14-of-21, 142 yards, one TD)
Isaac Edwards (four tackles, one pick six)
King Smith (two sacks)
UP NEXT
The Lions will head to Stony Brook, N.Y. for a matchup with Stony Brook on Thursday, September 3. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. CT.
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