FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Shenandoah University had a record setting day Saturday afternoon in its 2007 football season finale, but it was not enough as host Methodist took a 27-20 USA South Conference victory.

Shenandoah (2-8, 2-5 USA South) loses to the Monarchs (4-6, 4-3) for third straight year but still holds a one-game advantage in the all-time series.

Methodist didn't score what proved to be the game-winning touchdown until Brian Hopkins hauled in a 14-yard pass from Brandon Parks with 10:40 remaining, but they led the entire contest.

MU opened the game on a nine-play, 54-yard drive that ended with a Mike Hill 35-yard touchdown run at the 11:07 mark. The ensuing PAT gave the hosts a lead they would not relinquish.

The Hornets answered that Methodist scoring drive with a six-play, 47-yard drive of their own that senior Paul Diggs completed with a run from the 8, but a blocked extra point prevented coach Paul Barnes club from tying the game.

The Monarchs, who finished the game with 460 yards in total offense, got another Hill TD run with 1:30 to play in the first to end the quarter with a 14-6 advantage.

That margin lasted just two plays into the second.

Shenandoah, which came into the game ranked No. 1 in the nation in fumbles recovered with 19, forced and recovered the first of three drops on the day when CJ Madison knocked the ball loose from Parks and strong safety Brodis Brown scooped it clean at the MU 20. Brown outraced everyone to the endzone for his first career touchdown on the play, giving SU its fifth defensive score of the season in the process.

The two teams traded six possessions for the remainder of the quarter with the Hornets missing a 45-yard field goal on the penultimate play of the half.

The scoreless draught lasted until the 2:37 mark of the third, when Methodist took advantage of a short field caused by a muffed punt to punch it in from the SU 13.

Diggs fumbled that punt back to the Monarchs at the 13 and Parks took just one play to find Patrick Doleman in the back of the endzone for his first TD pass of the afternoon.

SU made things interesting late when it drove 91 yards, 81 of it on a Vern Lunsford to Raphael Amey pass, to make it 27-20 with five seconds remaining.

Shenandoah attempted an onside kick, but Jonathan Mularski recovered at the Hornets 45 with three seconds left. Out of timeouts, SU could only watch as Methodist fell on the ball to close out the contest.

Amey, who led all receivers with 149 yards on seven catches, set a new school record for receiving yards in a season as well as longest reception in history. Amey's 77-yarder on the visitors final drive breaks the record of 76 set by Chris Delfin against Methodist in the 2003 season finale. His 462 yards on the year breaks Mike McVearry's 2004 record.

Lunsford, who had 189 yards passing, set a new school mark with 15 completions. This breaks the record of 14 held by Jon Hoffman and set against Bridgewater in 2004.

The three fumbles recovered gives the team 22 for the season and should ensure that SU leads the nation in that category. The Hornets were tied with Worcester (Mass.) State coming into the day, but Worcester completed its season last week.