WINCHESTER, Va. - In a season that Shenandoah University has suffered through numerous close losses, Saturday's season finale against Greensboro could end no other way.

Visiting Greensboro (6-4, 4-3 USA South) clinched its first-ever winning season with a 23-20 USA South victory before 1128 Sprint Field at Shentel Stadium fans.

After the Hornets (1-9, 0-7 USA South) had opened the game by scoring the first 14 points of the contest, GC rallied to tie early in the third.

SU answered that tying touchdown with one of its own, but Greensboro scored again to tie and then got the game-winning points on a George Wolff 45-yard field goal with 2:58 remaining.

Taking over following a Vern Lunsford interception, the Pride actually went five yards backward on the drive, necessitating Wolff, the team's kickoff specialist, to try from the SU 28.

Wolff split the uprights on the chance, and GC had the winning points.

The Hornets took the ensuing kick and appeared to be headed for the go-ahead touchdown, but the hard-luck squad suffered another tough break as Greensboro's Brandon Richardson stripped Brian Calloway on the Pride 10 after Calloway had hauled a 31-yard completion.

GC recovered the ball on its own 4 and forced Shenandoah to use its remaining timeouts on the possession.

SU got the ball back with 18 seconds remaining and advanced to the Pride 35, where it lined up for a 51-yard field goal attempt, but was whistled for a delay of game penalty that forced a hail mary attempt.

This Lunsford pass went incomplete in the back of the end zone to end the game.

Shenandoah opened the game with the fastest score - 22 seconds - in school history. Starting out on the GC 40 after the Pride knocked the opening kick out-of-bounds, Anthony Cordero busted off a 21-yard run on first down to give SU the ball in Greensboro territory.

With the Pride likely keying on the USA South's leading rusher, Keone Kyle, Shenandoah went into its bag of tricks to produce the first score.

Kyle took the handoff and after advancing to the line of scrimmage, tossed back to Lunsford on a flea-flicker play.

Lunsford threw a perfect strike to sophomore Rico Wallace at the GC 1, and Wallace took the final step he needed to put the hosts on top 7-0.

Shenandoah made it 14-0 on its next drive, moving 80 yards in 16 plays to take the two touchdown advantage by the first play of the second quarter.

Greensboro used a defensive score to get itself on the board as Mykel Searcy returned a Lunsford interception 60 yards to cut the deficit in half at the 10:20 of the second.

After the Pride tied it on its opening drive of the second half, SU answered with a touchdown drive of its own to retake the lead.

Brandon Hayes, who took over for an injured Kyle at tailback midway through the second period, broke three tackles on the 20-yard TD run.

Backup quarterback Mike Caparaso brought the visitors back to level with a 15-yard touchdown pass to

SU outgained Greensboro 496 to 279 as Lunsford threw for a school-record 292 yards on 23 completions in 35 attempts.

Kyle, who missed the second half with an injury, did get the 35 yards he needed to break the school record for rushing yards in a season.

Wallace and E.J. Brown ended the year as the season and career receiving leaders, respectively.

Shenandoah opens its 2010 season at home against Catholic.