The Sacramento Mountain Lions defeated the Virginia Destroyers in overtime Saturday evening 27-20 at Hornet Stadium. This is the first win for the Mountain Lions this season, making them 1-3.

Despite having lost their other three games this season, wide receiver Joe West said he knew that the win was coming.

“It was exactly what we expected, we prepared for this, and this is the outcome,” West said.

The majority of the game seemed like a near stalemate in favor of the Destroyers. In the first quarter Virginia scored a touchdown and proceeded to hold back the Mountain Lions into the second quarter.

With 11 minutes left on the clock, Sacramento grabbed a field goal and then held back the Destroyers’ offense.

Several minutes before halftime, wide receiver Otis Amey caught a pass in the end zone, giving the Mountain Lions a 10-7 advantage. The Mountain Lions held back the Destroyers from grabbing another touchdown, but with three seconds left in the half Virginia scored a field goal bringing the game to 10-10.

During the third quarter, the Destroyers made another field goal, giving them the lead. Afterward, the Lions’ wide receiver Aaron Woods had a 59-yard return. On the first down, Kai Brown got the Mountain Lions six more yards to the 31-yard line, and then they snagged another field goal bringing the game to 13-13 at the end of the third.

After the Destroyers got a touchdown five minutes into the fourth, the game seemed to be in their favor. Woods managed to run the ball to the 30-yard line. The ball was then intercepted by Aaron Rouse.

With two minutes left, the Destroyers fumbled the ball. After several first downs, Amey caught a pass and scored a touchdown followed by a field goal, bringing the game to 20-20 into overtime.

An early Destroyer penalty got the Mountain Lions a first down, Boyd Jayson brought the ball to the 39-yard line, Amey caught a pass bringing the Lions to the 9-yard line, and then caught another in the end zone, winning the game for Sacramento.

Amey gained the most yards for the game.

“I thought we had a chance,”assistant equipment manager Matt Garber said. “I think we should really be three and one right now. The talent’s there.”