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Box Score  |   Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

A tale of two halves on Saturday afternoon as Eastern Illinois led 17-0 at the half before suffering a 28-25 loss to Lindenwood as a potential game tying field goal missed with just seconds remaining in regulation.
 
EIU drops to 1-4 overall, 0-1 in the Big South OVC.  Lindenwood improved to 2-3, 1-0 in the Big South OVC.
 
It was all EIU in the opening half as EIU drove the length of the field to start the game finishing with a Pierce Holley to Cooper Willman 13 yard touchdown connection. 
 
The Panthers followed with scores on their next two possessions with Holley scoring on a 1-yard run and Drew Schiller hitting a 32-yard field goal.
 
EIU's defense came up with a big play to end the first half as they held Lindenwood on a fourth-and-goal at the one. Kaelin Drakeford and Tre'jon Lewis came up with the goal line stop.  Drakeford led EIU with 11 tackles.
 
The Panther defense came up big again on the opening drive of the second half with Moses Alexander picking off a Nate Glantz pass.
 
Glantz made an adjustment from there connecting four times for touchdowns in the second half with receiver Jeff Caldwell.   Glanz was 14-of-19 for 283 yards and the four scores.  Caldwell had four catches, all for touchdowns, finishing with 115 yards.  His touchdown grabs came on plays of 11, 22, 8 and 74 yards.
 
EIU rebounded late in the fourth as Holley found Eli Mirza for a 25-yard touchdown pass.  Holley and Mirza connected on the two point conversion and EIU trailed 28-25 with 3:36 remaining.  Holley passed for 326 yards.  Mirza caught seven passes for 69 yards.  Willman (5 receptions, 71 yards) and Terrance Gipson (9 receptions, 93 yards) were the other top targets.
 
The Panther defense would force a three-and-out on the next drive giving EIU the ball back with just under two minutes remaining.  EIU drove into field goal range but missed a 30-yard attempt ending the chances of forcing overtime.
 
MJ Flowers posted his second 100-yard rushing game this season finishing with 123 yards.  Anthony Shockey joined Drakeford with double figure tackles finishing with ten. 
 
Vincent King led Lindenwood with ten tackles.  Cortezz Jones rushed for 104 yards.