WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Oct. 14) – The Saint Vincent football team was defeated, 24-0, by host Waynesburg University in a Presidents' Athletic Conference battle at a rainy John F. Wiley Stadium.      
 
The Bearcats (2-4, 2-4 PAC) struggled on both sides of the ball, as they were outgained 411-138 in total offense and saw the Yellow Jackets (1-5, 1-5 PAC) hold a more than 13-minute advantage in time of possession.
 
The teams traded punts over the opening three possessions, before Waynesburg used a trio of long passes and took advantage of a 15-yard Bearcat penalty to close out a 5-play, 60-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Samuel Barber to Isaac Trout to open up a 7-0 lead with 6:35 left in the first quarter.
 
The Bearcats were forced to punt on their ensuing drive, with Kyle Murray's 56-yard boot pinning the Yellow Jackets inside their own 20. The hosts would end the quarter driving, using two more lengthy pass plays to advance inside the red zone. The Bearcat defense held on third down, however, as the second quarter began with a missed 39-yard field goal to keep the deficit at 7-0.
 
Saint Vincent responded by matriculating the ball deep into Waynesburg territory. Gino Caesar ran twice for 13 yards, before the next three snaps resulted in Waynesburg penalties totaling 35 yards and moving the Bearcats inside the 20-yard line. The visitors were unable to sustain the drive, however, which ended in a missed 31-yard field goal attempt.
 
The Yellow Jackets' next drive ended with the third missed field goal of the half on a 41-yard attempt, but the Bearcats could not take advantage. Waynesburg would then put together a 10-play drive and move inside the 25-yard line, before Josiah Weyandt and Alex St. Julien teamed up for a third down sack. This time, however, the Yellow Jackets converted on the field goal to go up 10-0.
 
Saint Vincent forced Waynesburg to punt on each of its first two trips of the third quarter, but the second punt was fumbled and recovered by the Yellow Jackets on the SVC 20. The visitors promptly made the Bearcats pay, with Barber hooking up with Justin Flack on the third play of the drive for a 12-yard touchdown to increase the lead to 17-0.
 
On the Bearcats' ensuing possession, quarterback Austin Slye twice connected with Matthew Esdelle for first downs, first on an 18-yarder that moved the ball to midfield and then a 12-yarder on third down at the Waynesburg 35. However, a pair of penalties would push the ball back into SVC territory, before a third down pass was fumbled and recovered by the Yellow Jackets.
 
Waynesburg put the game away late in the fourth quarter, using a long, 7-minute, 11-play, 68-yard drive that was capped off by a Flack rushing touchdown with just over two minutes left to play.
 
St. Julien led the Saint Vincent defense with a career- and game-high nine tackles, while Wiley Purry and Nathan Sullivan each produced eight stops, including a tackle for loss from Purry. Robbie Labuda and Andrew Gelin each had five tackles and one pass break-up.
 
Slye completed 14 of 26 passes for 115 yards, with Esdelle hauling in four grabs for 53 yards. Caesar led SVC with 37 rushing yards on eight carries.
 
For Waynesburg, Barber completed 17 of 26 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns, with Dakota Romantino recording eight catches for 132 yards. Flack ran for 129 yards, while Chase Nicomatti paced the stout Waynesburg defense with three sacks.
 
The Bearcats will be back on the road on Saturday, Oct. 21, traveling to PAC-leading Grove City for a 1 p.m. kickoff.