Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
0-10 , 0-6
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Western Michigan
5-6 , 4-3
Football Drops 35-14 Senior Day Tilt to Western Michigan
11/14/2009 5:13:00 PM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
Six turnovers plague the Eagles in MAC West Division loss
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University football team could not overcome six turnovers and the Eagles dropped a 35-14 Mid-American Conference West Division loss to Western Michigan University here in Rynearson Stadium Saturday, Nov. 14.
The loss drops EMU to 0-10 overall and 0-6 in MAC action while Western improves to 5-6 overall and 4-3 in league play.
True freshman quarterback Alex Gillett (Green Springs, Ohio-Clyde) rushed 26 times for 105 yards and completed 15-of-26 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns, including one on the ground.
WMU was paced by senior quarterback Tim Hiller who completed 21-of-31 passes for 275 yards with four touchdown throws. Tailback Brandon West was the game's top rusher, gaining 140 yards on 25 carries with one touchdown.
The Eagles rolled up 364 yards in total offense to 439 yards for the Broncos, but the six turnovers, three interceptions and three lost fumbles, hurt EMU's chances at its first win of the year.
Eastern opened the game by kicking off to WMU and the Eagles quickly took advantage of the game's first break. Senior safety Chris May (Jupiter, Fla.-Dwyer) came up with his team-leading fifth interception of the year on the Bronco's third play from scrimmage.
May's 35-yard interception return gave the Eagles the ball at the Bronco 15-yard line and Gillett made the break pay off, scoring on a four-yard run on the fourth play of the drive. Joe Carithers (Dacula, Ga.-Dacula) added the PAT kick for the 7-0 lead at the 11:42 mark of the first quarter.
The Broncos answered with an 11-play, 59-yard drive, culminating on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Hiller to Matt Stevens with John Potter adding the PAT kick to tie it at 7-7 with 7:40 left in the quarter.
Western then added three more scores, on a two-yard pass from Hiller to Chad Baliko, a one-yard run by West and an eight-yard pass from Hiller to Stevens, to take a commanding 28-7 lead.
The Eagles refused to quit, however, and manufactured an 80-yard drive on six plays with freshman Kinsman Thomas (Bennettsville, S.C.-Marlboro County) making a leaping grab of a Gillett pass for a 12-yard touchdown with just 29 seconds left in the first half. Carithers added the PAT to cut the Bronco advantage to 28-14.
Western had a chance to expand its halftime lead with nine seconds left with Western on the EMU 12-yard line, but the Eagles' defense forced Hiller to fumble and Eastern's Devon Davis (Columbus, Ind.-East) recovered to thwart that scoring chance.
After going scoreless in the third quarter the Broncos scored on a 65-yard touchdown pass from Hiller to Robert Arnheim with 7:37 left in the fourth game to take a convincing 35-14 lead.
The Green and White will be back in action next Friday, Nov. 20, with a MAC West Division road tilt at Toledo. Game time is 7 p.m. at Toledo's Glass Bowl.
Team Stats
WMU 0, EMU 7
EMU - GILLETT, Alex 4 yd run (CARITHERS, Joe kick), 4 plays, 15 yards, TOP 1:40
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WMU 7, EMU 7
WMU - STEVENS,Matt 1 yd pass from HILLER,Tim (POTTER,John kick) 11 plays, 59 yards, TOP 3:54
WMU 14, EMU 7
WMU - BALIKO,Chad 2 yd pass from HILLER,Tim (POTTER,John kick) 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:39
WMU 21, EMU 7
WMU - WEST, Brandon 1 yd run (POTTER,John kick), 10 plays, 68 yards, TOP 5:02
WMU 28, EMU 7
WMU - STEVENS,Matt 8 yd pass from HILLER,Tim (POTTER,John kick) 5 plays, 46 yards, TOP 1:23
WMU 28, EMU 14
EMU - THOMAS, Kinsman 12 yd pass from GILLETT, Alex (CARITHERS, Joe kick) 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 0:40
WMU 35, EMU 14
WMU - ARNHEIM,Robert 65 yd pass from HILLER,Tim (POTTER,John kick) 3 plays, 77 yards, TOP 1:18
