RICHMOND, Va. (November 3, 2018) -The visiting Trojans wasted no time, getting on the board early. A 13-play 89-yard drive started the Trojans on their run as junior quarterback Cordelral Cook pushed his way in from the VUU endzone to put VSU up 6-0 at 10:23 mark in the first quarter. The Panthers answered with a PAT return to cut the Trojans lead 6-2. Virginia Union then secured a 46-yard run to take its first lead of the contest bringing, the score 9-6 with 8:30 left in the quarter. A 5-play 23-yard drive at the 6:11 mark, quarterback Cordelral Cook rushed the ball four-yards for a touchdown to regain the lead 12-9. Finishing out the first quarter, the Panthers found its way to the endzone on a seven-yard pass to regain the lead, bringing the score to 16-12. 

Keeping the same momentum in the second quarter, the Panthers added two touchdowns the first on a 19-yard pass to make the score 23-12. At the 4:42 mark VUU secured another touchdown on a 30-yard pass, bringing the score to 30-12. Virginia State answered with a 13 play 75-yard drive when Cook made a connection, this time with Tre'Quan Reed at the 0:33 second mark to close out the first half of the game. At the half, the Trojans trailed the Panthers, 30-13. 

't score. The Panthers did add a 30-yard field goal to bring the contest final score 46-19. didnIn the fourth quarter both team  In the third quarter, the Panthers continued to dominate the Trojans as they added two touchdowns. A five-yard pass at the 10:39 mark to grow its lead 36-19. A one-yard run at the 3:18 gave the Panthers another chance to add points, bringing the score 43-19. The Panthers held Virginia State scoreless in the third.

VSU finished the competition with 305 total offensive yards and were 7 of 13 on third down conversions. VSU went 3-of-3 on fourth-down conversions and had a total of 200 total rushing yards and secured two rushing touchdowns.

With this loss, the Trojans move to 4-5 overall, 4-3 in CIAA play and 2-3 in Northern Division play while Panthers moves to 7-2, 6-1 CIAA, and 4-1.

Individually, VSU's Cordelral Cook finished with 86 yards on the ground while Demetrius Strickland had 69 yards.  Cook also finished with 105 passing yards and a touchdown going 13-of-27 and adding three total touchdowns. Jemourri LaPierre added 20 receiving yards for VSU, followed by Maurice Davis (21), Andre Jackson (15), and Tyree Harris (4).

  Defensively, VSU was led by Dhevyn Anderson who collected nine tackles and one tackle for loss. Recording five tackles each for VSU were Rashard Jones and Elijah White.

The Trojans will look to regroup as they return home to begin preparations for the 2019 season.

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