WEST LIBERTY – West Virginia Wesleyan couldn't overcome their own mistakes here under the lights against the West Liberty Hilltoppers in a MEC contest Thursday night.
Wesleyan turned the ball over three times, including twice in the red zone in the first half as they lost a 24-3 decision.
Wide out Dylan Davis was fighting for extra yards when he had the ball stripped from him in at the West Liberty five-yard line in the first quarter and quarterback Jeremy Musselman had a pass picked off at the West Liberty one-yard late in the second quarter.
Shawn Carl gave West Liberty a 3-0 with a 22-yard field with 9:09 showing on the first-quarter clock.
The Hilltoppers added to their lead early in the second quarter when Anton McCallum hauled in a 20-yard pass from Dakota Conwell.
Wesleyan's lone score came on a 47-yard field goal by Kasper Bernild at the 9:03 mark in the second quarter.
West Liberty took advantage of Wesleyan's third turnover on the opening possession of the second half by turning it into six points.
Chase Blackwell coughed up a ball after a catch and run at the Wesleyan 28.
It took West Liberty six plays to find the end zone as Dylan Potts caught an eight-yard pass from Conwell with 2:45 gone in the second half.
Following a Wesleyan punt, West Liberty found the end zone once again as Conwell threw his third touchdown pass of the game, this one a four-yard to R. J. Thomas with 4:49 remaining in the third quarter.
The Bobcat defense pumped some life back into the team when Dale Wood picked off a pass on the Wesleyan sideline at their own 19-yard line with 1:36 left in the third quarter.
On Wesleyan's first play, Musselman found Michael Anderson over the middle and the elusive back darted past West Liberty defenders for a 58-yard pick-up that put the ball at the Hilltopper 23-yard line.
The drive though died at the West Liberty seven-yard line as the Wesleyan offense couldn't convert and a fourth-and-six situation.
Wesleyan wouldn't get any closer as West Liberty chewed up most of the fourth-quarter clock.
Wesleyan racked up 314 yards off offense but ran for -4 yards.
Musselman completed 26 of his 47 passes for 300 yards while Tyler Bolen completed one of his three attempts for 18 yards.
Four different receivers caught passes for Wesleyan.
Anderson had 106 receiving yards, Davis had 92 yards, Stephen Rogalski had 56 yards and Blackwell had 40.
Anderson had six carries for seven yards on the ground.
Isiah Moody was the game's leading rusher with 156 yards on 26 carries for West Liberty.
Conwell finished his day with 175 yards, completing 11 of his 23 passes.
Mike Savage led the Bobcat defense with 10 tackles.
West Liberty improved to 5-3 overall and 5-2 in the MEC.
Wesleyan dropped to 3-5 overall and 3-5 in the MEC.
West Liberty will return to action next Thursday at Charleston.
Wesleyan will see the field again Saturday against Fairmont State. It will be the final home game of the 2014 season for the Bobcats. Kick-off is slated for 12 p.m.
(Photo courtesy of Sam Santilli)
