WINCHESTER, Va.  Methodist scored the first two touchdowns of the game, both by Keyshaun Pete, but came up three yards short, twice, in the fourth quarter of a 28-23 non-conference loss to host Shenandoah University Saturday afternoon at Sprint Field.

Pete finished with 65 yards on the ground and also added 15 yards from the arm of quarterback Brandon Bullins, who ended the afternoon with 229 yards passing, one touchdown, and 47 yards on the ground, trailing only Pete's total.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Shenandoah def. Methodist, 28-23
Records: Methodist 0-1, Shenandoah 1-0
Location: Sprint Field at Shentel Stadium; Winchester, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Pete capped off the season's opening drive by the Monarchs with a 2-yard scamper after the Methodist defense had forced a three and out from the Hornets offense. The seven-minute Methodist drive included a key 3rd-down run from Pete that extended the drive deep in the red zone, and a 14-yard Brandon Bullins to AJ Cooper pass earlier in the 62-yard march that nearly erased a 1st and 20 on its own.
• The Monarch defense spurred the offense soon after, forcing a fumble at the Shenandoah 40 yard line that was recovered by Justin Hood.
• The ensuing touchdown drive almost stalled before getting rolling, but a 10-yard scramble by Bullins on 4th and 4 pushed the ball to the Hornets' 22 with a new set of downs.
• A 4th and 1 at the 13 presented another challenge, and this time it was Pete's 8-yard gain that kept the drive alive, setting up Pete's second touchdown, coming in the early moments of the second quarter.
• Shenandoah kept the Methodist offense at bay the rest of the second quarter, and did likewise in the third quarter while scoring 21 unanswered points to take the lead.
• Methodist tied things up at 21-21 early in the fourth quarter, using a quick two-minute, five-play 66-yard drive that ended with a Bullins 10-yard strike to Tobias Johnson Jr. for his first collegiate touchdown.
• The response from Shenandoah was immediate, however, as the Hornets went 78 yards in 12 plays to push ahead, 28-21, with about seven minutes to play.
• The Monarchs started their next drive on their own 32 and pushed all the way to the Shenandoah 3-yard line before a 4th-down stop would end the series agonizingly close.
• All hope was not lost, though, as the defense forced a Shenandoah fumble in the end zone that was recovered by a Hornet but downed in the end zone for a Methodist safety, trimming the deficit to 28-23 nearing the three-minute mark of the quarter.
• The Monarchs got the ball back at their 37 and again drove downfield, again getting to the 3-yard line, but again unable to capitalize on fourth down, enabling Shenandoah to take one final kneel-down to run out the clock and escape the Monarch threat.

MORE TO IT

• Bullins produced 276 yards of offense himself with his passing and rushing totals.
• Pete and Tyquan Eaddy (35 yards) led the running backs room for Methodist.
• On the other end of Bullins' throws was most often Kobe Praylow, who caught eight for 80 yards, outdone in the game only by Shenandoah's Ethan Bigbee who caught five for 176 yards and three TDs.
• Roderic Christian Jr. had seven solo stops for the Methodist defense, while three others had three or more solo tackles in the game.
• The Monarchs outgained Shenandoah, 376 yards to 363 yards, but the Hornets average 5.85 yards per play, more than a yard better than Methodist's 4.42 per play.
• Time of possession was heavily weighted in the Monarchs' favor -- 37:02 to 22:58 -- but two of Shenandoah's touchdown drives were 30 seconds or less, and a third was less than three minutes long.

UP NEXT
Methodist plays its final non-conference contest of the season with its next outing, the home opener on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. against visiting Guilford College.