Box Score LORMAN --
Mississippi Valley State endured a tough defeat in their first conference game of the season at Alcorn State Saturday afternoon as the Delta Devils fell 35-28 at Jack Spinks Stadium.
The Braves (2-1, 1-0 SWAC) wasted no time scoring the football, getting in the endzone on their second drive of the game to take a 7-0 lead over the MVSU (0-3, 0-1 SWAC). Valley, however, struck back and scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Ivy to Kenneth Dabney to tie the game at 7.
From that point on, MVSU controlled the tempo of the entire first half as they took a 21-7 lead on a 28-yard pass from Ivy to Patrick Durr and a 13-yard run from backup quarterback Jeremy Collins.
Despite the Delta Devils' quick start to the contest, this game proved to be a tale of two halfs, as the Braves responded mightily in the second half. On their first possession of the half, Alcorn State scored on a 23-yard pass from quarterback John Gibbs to Jordan Payne for a TD. This would be a continuing pattern of touchdowns, as Alcorn State went on a 28-7 run in the third and fourth quarter due in major part to a 6-yard run from Arnold Walker, a 22-yard catch from LaDarrien Davis, and another 26-yard run from Walker.
In the fourth quarter, the Delta Devils scored late on a 3-yard pass from Patrick Ivy to Jerrel Moore, but it was too late as Alcorn secured the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.
"They came out and had more energy and confidence, but we didn't match it in the second half," said MVSU head coach Karl Morgan. "We've got to get better, we have a long way to go and a lot of the season left to play but today was very disappointing."
MVSU will be back at home next Saturday when they host Southern University at 1 p.m. at Rice-Totten Stadium.
