PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Senior quarterback Lee Kirkland threw for 432 yards and five touchdowns to lead the University of Pikeville to a 42-31 win over Point (Ga.) University on Saturday afternoon.
 
The win moved the Bears to 6-3 on the season and 4-1 in the AAC. It also insured UPike of consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the 2004-05 seasons, and only the second time since the start of football.
 
Point dropped to 3-6 overall, 2-3 in the AAC.
 
The Bears wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, albeit not the way they'd hoped. After taking the opening kick to the red zone the offense stalled, but senior kicker Jakob Headley split the uprights on a 29-yard field goal to make it 3-0 with 12:09 left in the opening period.
 
Before the period ended, the Skyhawks found the end zone on a 15-yard pass from Mitchell Gossett to Emery Bryant. Matt Moses booted the extra-point to make the score 7-3 with 2:16 to play in the quarter.
 
The Bears answered with 13:09 left in the half. Senior quarterback Lee Kirkland found Diego Soto over the middle for a 76-yard touchdown. Headley hit the PAT to make it 10-7.
 
The Skyhawks regained the lead with 8:01 to play on a 19yard keeper by Gossett. Moses made it 14-10 with the kick.
 
Moses expanded the lead with 6:52 to play with a 21-yard field goal to push the Point lead to 17-10.
 
The Bears answered late in the half and drew even when Kirkland again found Soto, this time from six yards out, as he tiptoed along the back line of the end zone. Headley's PAT came with 12 seconds left and sent the teams to the half tied at 17.
 
The only points in the third period came by the Skyhawks, when Gossett found Kareen Keye from eight yards out. The kick by Moses came with 7:31 left and put Point on top 24-17.
 
The Bears responded early in the fourth quarter when Kirkland found junior Ben Henson from 21 yards out. The kick by Headley tied the game with 13:22 left in the game to tie it at 24.
 
UPike took the lead with 11:08 left when junior Obie Wilson correctly read a sideline pass, picked it off and bolted 40 yards for the score. The Bears led 30-24.
 
The Bears got some insurance with 5:02 to play when Kirkland again hooked up with Soto, this time from 13 yards out. The attempt for two was incomplete, but the lead was 36-24.
 
The final points of the game for the Bears came with 2:25 left. Kirkland found Derrick Griffith for 21 yards and the score, making the lead 42-24.
 
Point picked up a score at the end of the game. With 21 seconds left, Gossett hit Quintravious Teasley from 23 yards out. The kick was good to set the final score.
 
Kirkland hit junior Diego Soto seven times for a career high 162 yards and three scores. Griffith, a graduate student, hauled in seven for 92 yards.
 
The Bears only gained 26 yards on the ground in the win.
 
Gossett was 21-of-47 for 246 yards and three touchdowns to go with three interceptions. His favorite target was Keye, who caught seven for 59 yards. Bryant had six for 97 yards and the score. Trey Inge III had 15 carries for 70 yards.
 
Senior Timothy Butler had two of the Bears' three interceptions in the win. The other fell into the hands of junior Maalona Pule.
 
The Bears will wrap up the season on Saturday afternoon, visiting St. Andrews at 1:30 p.m.
 
--UPIKE--