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Big play on defense clinches YSU win

CARBONDALE, Ill. — With about two minutes left and up just one point, Youngstown State University was indanger of losing another close game. Southern Illinois had the ball with 2:55 left at its own 26-yard line.

A minute later, defensive end Justus Reed forced a fumble from quarterback Matt DeSomer, scooped up the ball and ran 21 yards into the end zone with 1:44 left to seal Youngstown State University’s 28-20 victory over Southern Illinois University Saturday afternoon.

Early on it seemed the Penguins (5-5, 3-4 Missouri Valley Football Conference) were doomed already when DeSomer scored from 58 yards away to give SIU a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. YSU had fumbled twice deep in SIU territory.

YSU then got the Salukis back with a beautiful over-the-shoulder catch by Damoun Patterson from Hunter Wells. Those two would not be done yet.

An SIU fumble on the next possession gave YSU the ball back with just over three minutes to go. Wells hit Patterson on a 14-yard scoring pass which gave YSU a 14-7 halftime lead. This was the first time in Patterson’s career that he caught two touchdowns in the same game.

SIU made a field goal to cut the lead before a Tevin McCaster 1-yard score put YSU up 21-10 with 3:13 left in the third quarter. From there, things got interesting.

DeSomer scored from a yard out just a few minutes later and a field goal early in the fourth quarter put the Penguins in a tough spot.

With Youngstown State leading 21-20, Wells led a 12-play, six-minute drive, but the drive stalled and Zak Kennedy missed a 43-yard field goal attempt with 2:55 remaining. Reed sealed the game when he sacked DeSomer five plays later. It was Reed’s second strip-sack of the year. His other came against the University of Pittsburgh in week one.

McCaster had 158 yards rushing which gave him his fourth career 100-yard game.

DeSomer led Southern Illinois (4-6, 2-5) with 81 passing yards and 140 rushing yards. He scored twice on the ground.

The Salukis forced four turnovers but remain 3-15 in one-possession games since the start of 2015.

YSU finishes the year at home for Senior Day against Missouri State on Nov. 18 at noon.

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