Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Trey Burke Jeremy Caldwell is tackled returning a punt. Caldwell later muffed a punt, touching it as it bounced over him and losing possession to the Catamounts.

Eastern met it's match in an unlikely foe, as heavy underdog Western Carolina (2-8, 1-6 Southern Conference) defeated Eastern 24-7.

Turnovers and time of possession proved to be the Colonels downfall, giving away three fumbles and an interception.

After a few change of possessions, Catamount punter Blake Cain miscued a punt, only going 13 yards before going out of bounds. This set up Eastern (5-5, 5-2 OVC) to put the first points on the board just before the first quarter came to a close with a one yard run by C.J. Walker.

The Colonel's first score would also be their last, as the Catamounts would score 24 unanswered points.

Western Carolina quarterback Zach Jaynes threw a 43-yard pass to Marquel Pittman across the middle midway threw the second quarter tying the game.

Jaynes would finish the game completing 24-34 for 232 yards and all three touchdowns threw the air. Pittman had a career day with a season high nine receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns.

Western Carolina kicked a field goal with 0:50 left in the second quarter, setting the score at 10-7 at the half.

The Catamounts pulled away from the Colonels in the third quarter. After a fumble under center, second snap of the third quarter, Western Carolina started their next scoring drive in Eastern's red zone. Jaynes found Pittman a second time with a 7-yard touchdown pass.

The final score of the game also came by way of an Eastern turnover after Jeremy Caldwell barely touched a punt that had bounced off the ground over his head. The ball slid across his fingers and over his head and he was unable to recover to regain Colonel possession, once again giving the Catamounts excellent field position.

Jayne would connect with Chris Everett on a 13-yard touchdown pass.

In total offense Western Carolina collected only 59 more yards than Eastern, but field position after turnovers and time of possession were the biggest contributing factors.

The Catamounts held the ball for 37:09, while the Colonels had the ball a mere 22:51.

Eastern is 0-4 against teams when the defense fails to cause a turnover.

"You know when you have 18 first downs and seven points that just don't add us, a miscue here and a miscue there, that can add up," Hood said on the Dean Hood Show.

With the loss, the Eastern's current streak of 31 consecutive winning seasons (second only to Florida State) is in jeopardy. The Colonels enter this weeks game 5-5, playing for a chance win another OVC title and keeping what may possibly be Eastern football's most notable streak alive.

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