Box Score Oct. 14, 2006
Final Stats
Cullowhee, N.C. -
Chattanooga's Esteban Lopez, who had missed his last two field goals coming into the game, connected on a 37-yard field goal on the Mocs' first drive of overtime to lift UTC to a 17-14 victory, spoiling Western Carolina's Homecoming Saturday afternoon at E.J. Whitmire Stadium/Bob Waters Field. Western (2-4, 0-4 Southern Conference) did not convert on four scoring opportunities, missing three field goals and being kept out of the endzone on a fourth-and-one.
Western Carolina is now 1-4 all-time in overtime contests, its first since 2004, and Chattanooga improves to 4-8 in such contests.
Chattanooga (3-4, 2-2 SoCon) was led by Eldra Buckley, who rushed for 162 yards on a season-high 30 attempts. It marked Buckely's sixth 100-yard game of the season and his second-highest total of the season. Buckley's biggest impact came in the second half where he rushed for 124 yards, including 85 in the fourth quarter alone. Pacing the Mocs on defense was Chris Camacho, who tallied a career-high nine tackles with
Thanks to Buckely's performance, UTC held the ball for just under 20 minutes in the second half while rolling up 226 yards of total offense. Western only had the ball for just over nine minutes, including just 2:41 in the third quarter, while gaining just 48 yards of offense.
Despite the setbacks, Western Carolina got two outstanding performances from seniors Darius Fudge and Mitchell Dukes. Fudge rushed for a career-high 151 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown, on 25 carries, one shy of a career mark. Dukes picked off two passes, returning one for a score, and recorded a career-high 13 tackles. The Cats also got double-digit stops from Kadeem Morgan and Mordy Ornguze, who each tallied 11.
Western looked like it was going to take control early, running a trick play on the first snap of the contest. Receiver Michael Hines, on a double reverse pass, found Chris Jefferson for a 31-yard pass. However, three plays later, Bennett Swygert was picked off by Qunitez Smith. The Mocs were forced to punt and, on the attempt, a bad snap forced punter Jonathan Wright to try to run the ball. He was stopped for an 11-yard loss, giving the Cats first and goal from the UTC seven.
The Cats would get down to the one and were denied twice from the spot. First, on third down, Joe Clark was kept out of the endzone, while Mike Malone could not turn the corner on fourth giving UTC the ball.
On the ensuing drive, Chattanooga moved the ball to the Catamount 15, but Dukes came through with the first of his two picks. However, Western could not take advantage and the teams traded punts over the next four possessions.
Midway through the second quarter, Fudge broke off a 54-yard run, his second longest carry of his career, getting Western to the UTC 14. The Catamounts could not take advantage, missing a 25-yard field goal.
After a UTC punt three plays later, Western put together an impressive drive, highlighted by a 24-yard, Swygert to Eddie Cohen pass. On the next play, Fudge ran off the left tackle and reached the endzone for a 15-yard score to make the score 7-0.
Chattanooga answered right back with a seven-play, 62-yard scoring drive to tie the game at 7-7. Matt Lopez completed seven passes in the drive, including five straight to Emanuel Hassell. The drive was capped with an eight-yard M. Lopez to Micheal Johnson strike in the right corner.
The Cats tried to regain the advantage as time expired in the first half, but Jonathan Parsons' career-long, 48-yard attempt came up short.
Three plays into the second half, Western would get back on top. Facing third and two, M. Lopez was picked off by Dukes, who returned the ball 28 yards for his second score of the season.
Once again, the Mocs answered right back, putting together a 17-play, 80-yard drive with consumed 9:03 on the clock. The key play during the drive was, on fourth and three from midfield, when UTC punter Wright took the snap and dashed over left end to pick up the first down. Erroll Wynn also had a big play in the drive, picking up 21 yards to the WCU four. Western tried its own goal line stand, but M. Lopez, who was denied on third down from the one, snuck the ball in on fourth and inches to tie the game at 14-14 with 4:15 remaining in the third quarter.
The teams traded punts the rest of the game.
In overtime, Western won the toss and elected to play defense first. Chattanooga was facing a third and one after two runs by Buckley, but a penalty forced the Mocs back to the 21 where M. Lopez's pass fell incomplete. E. Lopez came on an connected on a 37-yard field goal to give the Mocs a 17-14 lead. Western had one rush and two incomplete passes. Despite making two from 41 yards last week at Elon, the normally dependable Parsons' final 41-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.
Western Carolina will start the first of three road game next weekend (Oct. 21), heading to Charleston, S.C., to face The Citadel at 2:00 pm.
