Tigerville, S.C. - The North Greenville University Football Team (3-2) held on to defeat Lenoir-Rhyne University (2-2), 35-27, Saturday evening at Younts Stadium.

The Crusaders rushed for 278 yards and overcame five turnovers to defeat the Bears for the first time in three tries.

Lenoir-Rhyne senior quarterback Major Herron (Kingsland, Ga.) passed for 173 yards and two touchdowns and added a team-high 59 yards on the ground and two scores despite the loss.

L-R senior wide receiver Nick Stutts (Statesville, N.C.) finished with 10 receptions for 156 yards, both career-highs, and caught both touchdown passes in the setback.

North Greenville scored on its opening possession when running back Marcus Wilson (Macon, Ga.) ran it in from four yards out with 8:46 remaining in the first quarter to cap an eight-play, 61-yard drive.

L-R responded with a pair of one-yard touchdown runs by Herron in the second quarter for a 14-7 lead.

Herron's first touchdown came on the first play of the second quarter.? The score was set up by L-R sophomore linebacker Jeff Haney's (Auburn, Ga.) 74-yard fumble return to the Crusader one-yard line.

Lenoir-Rhyne's second touchdown?was set up?courtesy of?a fumbled punt return by North Greenville which gave the Bears the ball at the Crusaders' 16-yard line.

The two squads then traded touchdowns as the Bears entered intermission with a 21-14 advantage.

North Greenville's Teryan Rucker (Gainesville, Ga.) tied the score with a five-yard touchdown run before Herron found Stutts for a 40-yard touchdown pass with 2:10 left before halftime to give the Bears a seven-point lead going into the break.

The Crusaders tied the score at 21 with an 11-play, 59-yard drive that opened the second half and was capped off by Rucker's second touchdown run, a one-yarder.? Rucker led all rushers with 103 yards on the evening.

North Greenville's next drive proved to be the game-winner as quarterback Willy Korn (Lyman, S.C.) hit Sean Wright (Simpsonville, S.C.) for a 17-yard touchdown reception.

The Crusaders pushed the advantage to 35-21 with 3:54?remaining in the game?and appeared to put the contest out of reach but the Bears responded with a touchdown to slice the lead to 35-27.? The extra point was blocked.

Stutts' 18-yard touchdown reception cut the margin to eight with 1:54 left and the Bears stayed alive by recovering the onsides kick.? However, North Greenville held on L-R's last-ditch final drive and escaped with the win.

L-R?senior?defensive back?Richard Walker (Loganville, Ga.) finished with a team-high 13 tackles while junior linebacker Demetrius Green (Cedartown, Ga.) added 11 takedowns.

North Greenville's Johnathan Sharpe (Conway, S.C.) led all tacklers with 15 and the Crusaders' defense limited the Bears to 273 yards?of total offense?including 100 on the ground.

Lenoir-Rhyne returns to Moretz Stadium to take on South Atlantic Conference-foe Brevard for its annual Homecoming game next Saturday beginning at 2 p.m.? North Greenville, meanwhile, plays at Central State (Ohio) next Saturday at 1:30 p.m.