Winston-Salem State (WSSU) University head coach Robert Massey indicated he feels his team is moving in the right direction after using a determination to fight through overtime for the second consecutive week.
WSSU beat Ohio Dominican 19-13 in its home opener with an all-around team effort. The win came one week after a heartbreaking loss to North Carolina A&T the previous week in overtime.
“Never underestimate the heart of a Ram,” Massey said. “I think this helps the guys to see that they have the ability to stay cool, calm, and collected and continue to play.”
WSSU is now 2-1 overall as it prepares to face CIAA favorite Virginia State on Saturday. This is the first time it has gone over .500 since Massey took over as interim prior to the 2019 season.
The transfer portal is one of the key aspects of the team’s early success this season. Two fall 2024 transfers are are Christian McDonald from North Carolina A&T, as well as Jamieson Alston who transferred from Saint Augustine University. Both players made big plays against Ohio Dominican and figure to be a big part of WSSU’s attack moving forward.
“We’ve improved from a recruiting standpoint because of the portal,” Massey said.
As the team continues to prepare for its next game the faith the coaches have in them helps them to get through practice.
“They believe in us and we don’t want that to go away,” Alston said. “It’s easier to go to practice at 5 am if you’re coming from a W.”
Alston had 10 tackles during the game in addition to a game-changing interception in overtime. He was named CIAA linebacker of the week for his effort.
Practicing in a positive environment only helps to push the players to the next level while also staying level-headed.
“They never want to tear us down,” McDonald said. They want to encourage us to make plays.”
Meanwhile, the team continues to assess what is and what isn’t working for them.
“Defensively there are some things we got to clean up,” Massey continued. “Off the surface, those guys are doing what we asked the final round and getting other people to
make plays.”
WSSU is headed to Rogers Stadium taking Virginia State University this week. Kickoff is at 1:00 pm and can be watched on HBCU Go.
-Story by Tia Greene