College morning report: Troy steals overtime; Virginia shifts the ACC race
By Staff Writer · Published 10/30/2026, 7:18:47 AM ET
Troy erased a 14-point halftime deficit at James Madison, Virginia handed Louisville its first ACC loss, and Penn State volleyball reached 1,500 wins.
Data as of 10/30/2026, 7:00:00 AM ET · Updated 10/30/2026, 7:18:47 AM ET
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Thursday, October 29: the turnover that changed the night
Troy turned a difficult first half into the clearest upset of the Eastern day. The Trojans trailed James Madison 21-7 at halftime, forced five turnovers and won 24-21 in overtime at Bridgeforth Stadium. Justin Powe intercepted three passes, matching Troy's single-game record, and returned one 37 yards for a touchdown on the second play of the third quarter. Jaheim Merriweather tied the game with a 28-yard run later in the period.
James Madison opened overtime with the ball but failed on fourth-and-1 from the Troy 5. The Trojans then stayed on the ground until Hayden Wolfe made a 27-yard field goal. Troy improved to 4-4 and ended James Madison's 11-game home winning streak. The result matters beyond one dramatic finish: a team that was outgained 408-349 won by taking care of the ball and repeatedly shortening the field.
Virginia changes the top of the ACC women's soccer picture
No. 19 Virginia handed No. 12 Louisville its first ACC loss, winning 3-0 in Charlottesville. Addison Halpern scored from a free kick in the 31st minute and added a header less than a minute after Jordyn Hardeman made it 2-0 early in the second half. Virginia moved to 9-3-3 overall and 5-3-1 in conference play; Louisville fell to 10-2-3 and 4-1-3.
No. 13 Stanford also strengthened its position with a 4-1 win over NC State. Eleanor Klinger scored twice, Lily Freer supplied the winner with her first career goal, and Charlotte Kohler answered NC State's lone score two minutes later. Stanford improved to 10-3-2 and 4-3-1 in the ACC.
Virginia Tech added a 3-2 home win over Boston College. Eliana Salama converted a penalty and then assisted Anna Weir 37 seconds later; Gabby Ciocca's 52nd-minute header became the decisive goal. The Hokies' 22-13 advantage in shots reflected a performance that was stronger than the one-goal margin.
Penn State reaches a volleyball milestone
No. 13 Penn State earned the 1,500th victory in program history by beating Ohio State 3-1 at Rec Hall. After dropping the first set 25-22, the Nittany Lions won the next three 25-19, 25-11 and 25-16. Kennedy Martin’s line included six blocks, four aces, 18 kills and 13 digs. Alexis Stucky added 47 assists and 16 digs. Penn State improved to 16-5 and became the second Division I program to reach 1,500 wins.
Smaller-program performances
Saint Xavier moved to 2-0 with an 81-58 women's basketball win over Embry-Riddle of Arizona. Freshman guard Laken LePage scored 20 points in 17 minutes off the bench, making six of nine three-point attempts. Fellow freshman Desiree Merritt and sophomore Brooklynn Johnson each scored 11.
Rhode Island College lost 3-0 at Wheaton, but senior libero Carolyn Bailey reached 1,000 career digs. Wheaton won 25-13, 25-12 and 25-23. The Anchorwomen were held to a .056 hitting percentage and managed 21 kills, a reminder that an individual milestone and the team result can tell very different stories on the same night.
Games to watch through Sunday at 7 a.m. Eastern
Friday's noon field hockey game between No. 12 Liberty and Villanova carries direct BIG EAST tournament consequences. Liberty has clinched a berth; Villanova can secure the No. 2 seed with a win and could fall to another seed or elimination scenario with a loss, depending on the Providence-Temple and Old Dominion-Georgetown results. Rhode Island College returns to Little East play against Western Connecticut at 1 p.m. Saturday. Results after the Sunday 7 a.m. Eastern cutoff belong in the next report.