FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- The Fairmont State University football team hosted Glenville State University in the Mountain East Conference opener. The Falcons fell to the Pioneers in the "Battle for the Bit", 17-14.

In the early going, both teams struggled on the offensive side of the ball. With 8:44 to go in the first, Glenville State (1-2, 1-0) started at its own 24 and used a few short runs before completing a 32-yard pass to the Fairmont State 36. As it seemed the Pioneers had momentum but the Falcon defense stood strong and forced a punt.

Fairmont State (1-2, 0-1) started from its own 10 as Elijah Tidwell picked up a first down with a 13-yard rush. Unfortunately, a holding penalty on the next play set the Falcons behind the sticks as it led to the punting unit coming onto the field. On 4th-and-6, Ethan Vargo-Thomas took the snap and scrambled on the fake punt to pick up 37 yards and keep the drive alive.

The very next play, Will Adkins dropped back and found Winston Page for the 37-yard touchdown. With 41 seconds left in the first quarter, Fairmont State led 7-0.

Glenville State began to piece together a drive that spanned into the second quarter. Into Falcon territory, the home defense forced three-straight incomplete passes as the Pioneers turned it over on downs.

Neither team was able to get anything going on their next drives until the Falcons took over at their own 40 with 6:18 left in the first half. After a holding penalty backed up the team 10 yards on first down, Dereik Crosby II rushed through the middle of the line for a 29-yard pickup. Adkins then found Carter Giacomo for a 12-yard completion followed by a 20-yard run by Tidwell. On the next play, Adkins was able to move around the pocket before he found Giacomo in the back of the endzone as the senior tight end was able to tiptoe the boundary for the score.

After a successful point-after, Fairmont State led 14-0 with 3:56 left in the second. Following back-to-back punts, the Falcons held the 14-point advantage at the half.

Coming out of the half, Glenville State received the kickoff and started to move the ball down the field. Aided by a pass interference penalty, the Pioneers were on the Fairmont State side of the field as the visitors completed a pass for 23 yards to the FSU 2-yardline. Two plays later, GSU was on the board and cut the deficit in half, 14-7, with 7:56 to go in the third.

On the first drive of the half for Fairmont State, the offense struggled to move the ball until Page caught an Adkins pass for 18 yards and a first down. Unfortunately, three-consecutive incompletions forced the team to punt the ball back to the visitors.

The first play for the Pioneers was good for a 25-yard pickup to near midfield. A couple of rushes and a personal foul penalty against the Falcons set Glenville State up at the FSU 31. After two plays, the Pioneers quarterback found a receiver in the middle of the field for a 33-yard touchdown. A successful point-after tied the game at 14 with 2:08 left in the third.

Both teams punted the ball back to the other on their next drives as Fairmont State took over at its own 49 with 13:20 remaining in regulation. On the first play, Tidwell found running room on the left side for a 13-yard pick up but an unnecessary roughness penalty against the Falcons backed them up to the FSU 47. Following a run, Nino Marzullo found Kobe Harris on the near side of the field to move into Glenville State territory at the 42.

Tidwell picked up a couple yards on the next play as Marzullo dropped back on second down. As the quarterback's pass flew down field, the Pioneers intercepted it at the 20 and returned it to the 41.

The Pioneers methodically moved the ball down the field as they faced a 3rd-and-16 from the Fairmont State 26. The Falcons stood tall and forced the kicking unit onto the field. Brody Layman lined up the 35-yard field goal attempt and made the kick to give the visitors their first lead of the night, 17-14, with 6:57 to go.

Crosby picked up a first down on consecutive runs of five yards. On second down, Marzullo found Gage Michael over the middle but a Glenville State linebacker ripped the ball loose as the guests fell on the ball to take over at their 42.

Following a first down pickup, the Falcons were able to hold the Pioneers and forced another punt. Taking over at their own 20 with 2:49 remaining, the home squad looked to drive down the field and extend the game. Unfortunately, the offense was stifled and had to punt the ball back to Glenville State.

The visitors were able to pick up a first down before taking a couple of knees to run out the clock as the Falcons fell by the three-point margin.

Fairmont State hits the road on Saturday, September 28 to face Wheeling University. Start time is set for 1:00 p.m.

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