VALDOSTA — Valdosta State defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen summed up perfectly why the No. 11 Blazers defeated the No. 2 North Alabama Lions, 27-24, Saturday.

“When you get down to the fourth quarter, and it’s close, and you have two evenly-matched teams, then its just a matter of who has the most will, and who’s going to make the plays.”

On this day, it was the Blazers (7-1, 5-1 in the Gulf South Conference) who made the plays, particularly late in the game.

The two teams battled back and forth throughout the game, with the Lions (7-1, 5-1) pulling ahead for the first and only time, 24-20, with 1:24 left in the third quarter on a 2-yard run by A.J. Milwee.

The score was the second straight touchdown for the Lions, after a 7-yard run by Brandenn Pickett. Their offense was moving almost at will, amassing 274 total yards on 16 first downs through three quarters.

However, it would be their last score. VSU’s defense clamped down earlier in the third quarter, and throughout the fourth. In the game’s final quarter, North Alabama mustered just 72 yards.

On the Lions’ next drive, they managed a first down, before earning an illegal touching penalty and then falling prey to VSU’s defense. On second-and-10 from the UNA 35-yard line, VSU’s Jermel Daniels sacked Milwee for a loss of eight yards. It was VSU’s second sack of the day, and just eighth allowed all season for the Lions.

Daniels was one of the players that made big plays for the Blazers’ defense, coming up with five tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack.

Leading the way was the defense’s captain, senior linebacker William Montford. Montford had a game-high 12 tackles, two and a half for loss, and one sack.

Maurice Leggett also came up with a big play, ending that UNA drive with a blocked put, putting the Blazers on UNA’s 28-yard line. The Blazers would spoil the opportunity, though, as Willie Copeland threw an interception — VSU’s only turnover of the game — against the nation’s best defense in that category.

North Alabama couldn’t manage a long drive from their own 14, and the Blazers took over with good field position at their own 48-yard line.

VSU then came up with its most crucial offensive play of the game. On fourth-and-two, VSU coach David Dean decided to go for the first down rather than kick. His players converted, as Copeland delivered a 16-yard completion to Clay Callaway.

“I looked over when I was in formation, and saw it was fourth-and-2,” Callaway said. “We ran that same play several times during the course of the game, and they knew it was coming because of the formation. They pointed out that we were going to do the 5-yard hitch and they played it well. The corner played loose on me, and Willie threw it out there, and I brought it down.”

The play extended VSU’s drive, which ultimately ended on a 4-yard rush to the end zone by Michael Terry for the game winning touchdown.

With the offense putting the Blazers on top, the defense continued to come up with the all-important big plays in the fourth quarter.