FAIRMONT, W.Va.—Fairmont State scored 40 points in the second half to claim a 49-32 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon.
Jeremy Musselman completed 25-of-44 passes on the day with 256 yards and three touchdowns, but was picked off twice in the fourth quarter. Malcolm Yowk rushed for 42 yards on 15 carries. Lavaughn Hughes hauled in 11 passes for 127 yards and reached pay dirt twice.
Jesse Robertson led the Bobcats' defense with 10 tackles. Jonas Celian tallied eight tackles, including a pair of sacks. With the two sacks, Celian moved into first place on Wesleyan's all-time list with 38.5 for his career. Brian Vukela also registered a sack to move into sole possession of third place on the career sack list with 21.5.
The Falcons' Bobby Vega tossed for 275 yards on 15-of-30 passing with five touchdowns. Daniel Monroe ran for 147 yards on 25 carries and scored one touchdown. Matt Wilmer caught seven passes for a game-high 163 yards and three touchdowns.
Garrett Davis notched 11 tackles for the Falcons.
Wesleyan got on the scoreboard first when Celian forced a Vega fumble--Vukela was able to scoop it up and scamper 24 yards for the touchdown to put Wesleyan in front 7-0. Johnny Dearstine cut the lead to 7-3 with a 21 yard field goal. Wesleyan came right back with a nine play 55 yard drive capped off by Musselman to Hughes to make the score 14-3. Dearstine would add field goals from 35 and 38 yards to cut the deficit to 14-9. Hughes caught a pair of passes on the ensuing Bobcat possession and would score from 12 yards out to make the score 21-9 heading to the locker room.
Fairmont State's second drive of the second half ended with Vega finding Wilmer for a touchdown to get the Falcons within striking distance at 21-15. Kasper Bernild hit from 44 yards away to push the Wesleyan lead back to two possessions at 24-15. Vega threw touchdowns passes on three consecutive trips for the Falcons to make the score 35-24. Wesleyan cut the lead to 35-32 when Musselman connected with Nyquan McGirt for 12 yards away. The Falcons' Ryland Newman picked off a pair of passes and FSU turned them into 14 points to take the 49-32 victory.
The Bobcats return home to face Glenville State next Saturday at 1 p.m.
