Nov. 7, 2009
Box Score | Gardner-Webb Photo Gallery (Athletic Media Relations) 
CONWAY, S.C. -- The Coastal Carolina University football team locked up in another classic battle with Big South Conference rival Gardner-Webb and came away with a thrilling 26-21 Homecoming victory over the visiting Bulldogs, Nov. 7. With their fourth home win of the year and sixth straight win in the series, the Chanticleers moved to 4-5 on the year and 2-2 in the Big South, while the Bulldogs fell to 5-4 and 2-2 in the league.
The Chanticleers struck first on their opening drive, marching 61 yards in nine plays over 3:25. Coastal made it count as quarterback Zach MacDowall connected on a 25-yard pass to wide receiver Akeem Wesley for the touchdown. Kicker Justin Durham hit the extra point to put the Chants up 7-0 with 12 minutes left in the first quarter.
Coastal held the Bulldogs on their opening drive, but a Coastal Carolina fumble gave GWU the ball on Coastal's 9. From there, it took Gardner-Webb three plays to punch it in the end zone, with running pack Patrick Hall going the final four for the touchdown. Ryan Gates made the point after to knot the game at seven with just over seven minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The Chants again put together a lengthy drive, going 13 plays and 63 yards. However, the drive stalled and forced a field goal attempt by Coastal. Durham was up to the task, splitting the uprights from 42 yards out to make it a 10-7 Chant lead with 11 minutes to go in the half.
Gardner-Webb took its first lead after getting a short field off the ensuing kickoff, starting at the Coastal 48. On the fifth play of the drive, quarterback Stan Doolittle hit wide receiver David Montgomery on an inside route a 9-yard touchdown. The point after was good, making it 14-10 Bulldogs with 8:41 remaining in the half.
The Chanticleers were deep in Gardner-Webb territory late in the half when Marty Patterson intercepted Zach MacDowall's pass at the GWU 1 and ran out the clock to make it a four-point halftime advantage for the visitors.
To start the third quarter, the Bulldogs pushed it into the Coastal territory until cornerback Josh Norman intercepted Doolittle's pass on the Coastal 17 and returned it 20 yards to the 37 to put the Chants back in business. From there, the hosts put together a quick six-play drive that ended on a 39-yard catch-and-run from MacDowall to running back Marcus Whitener for his first collegiate touchdown. Durham converted the PAT to put Coastal Carolina back in the lead at 17-14 with 9:45 to go in the third.
Coastal moved the ball again into scoring range, but Durham's field goal attempt was blocked and returned by linebacker Mario Brown 53 yards to put the Bulldogs in scoring position at the Coastal 11-yard line. On the fifth play, Hall got into end zone from one and the extra point put Gardner-Webb up 21-17 with one minute left in the third quarter.
The Chanticleers immediately put more points on its side of the board, moving 51 yards in 11 plays down to the GWU 9 before being stopped by the Gardner-Webb defense. Durham hit his second field goal of the day, this time from 26 yards out, to cut the margin to 21-20 with just over 12 minutes remaining in the contest.
After forcing GWU to a 3-and-out series, Coastal Carolina got the ball on its own 35 and started a time-eating drive down the field, using up 5:29 of the less than 10 minutes on the clock. The Chants punched the ball in the end zone on the 12th play, as fullback Tommy Fraser bulled his way in from four yards out to put Coastal up 26-21 with 4:17 to play. Coastal went for the two-point conversion to try and make it a seven-point game, but the ball went off the receivers' hands to leave the margin at five.
The teams traded possessions, including Norman's second interception of the game, before the Bulldogs got it back 2:59 remaining in the contest. GWU got down to the Coastal 23 and eventually faced 4th-and-15 at the Chants' 28. Doolittle attempted to hit Perry in the right corner of the end zone, but Norman recorded his Big South record-tying third interception to seal the Coastal victory.
Coastal controlled the field, outgaining GWU 473-239 and holding on to the ball more than 10 minutes more than the visitors. The 473 yards of offense was a season high for Coastal, including a season-best 332 yards of passing. The Chants were also 12-of-18 on third-down conversions while holding the Bulldogs to just 5-of-11.
Fraser led the Coastal ground game with a team season-high 23 carries for 90 yards and the game-winning touchdown while also having one catch for 22 yards. MacDowall was 25-for-42 for 322 yards, two touchdowns and one interception through the air. Brandon Whitley had a game high five receptions for 45 yards, while Whitener and Marquel Wills had four receptions each. Norman had three interceptions and a pass breakup on the day, while linebacker E.J. Brown had eight tackles, including six solos and two solo sacks for 20 yards of loss.
For Gardner-Webb, Hall led their ground attack with 17 carries for 68 yards, while Doolittle was just 9-for-20 for 103 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Marquis Sanders and James Perry III each had two catches for 29 yards. Patterson led all tacklers with 12 tackles, including five solos, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.
The Chants close out the 2009 home portion of the schedule when they host Presbyterian Sat., Nov. 14 at 12:30 p.m. Gardner-Webb will return home to Boiling Springs to host two-time defending Big South champion Liberty on Sat. at 1:30 p.m.
