GAFFNEY, S.C. – Entering Senior Day still in the thick of the SAC Championship race, the Limestone College football team had its title aspirations dashed as Catawba College stormed back in the second half to record a 45-28 decision on Saturday, October 28 at The Reservation at Gaffney High School.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Catawba 45, Limestone 28
Records: Catawba (7-2, 3-2), Limestone (4-5, 3-3)
Location: The Reservation
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Limestone lead 17-10 at the break, but Catawba outscored the Saints 35-11 in the second half
• Redshirt-freshman QB DJ Phillips (Fayetteville, N.C.) put up his second straight 400-yard game
• Phillips went 25-of-51 for a program-record 413 yards and two touchdowns
• Senior WR Vyncint Smith (Columbia, S.C.) finished with seven catches for 180 yards and a TD
• Redshirt-senior WR Jumill Hornsby (Charleston, S.C.) had a career day with 109 yards and a TD
• Freshman RB Jerko'ya Patton (Charlotte, N.C.) added 80 yards and a touchdown on the ground
• Senior kicker Nick Smith (Plain City, Ohio) went 2-for-4 on field goal attempts
• Redshirt-junior DB Sheldon Reid (Goose Creek, S.C.) led the defense with eight tackles, two forced fumbles, and a pass breakup
• Redshirt-senior LB Evan Patrick (Charlotte, N.C.) added eight tackles
• The Saints compiled a season-high 503 yards of offense against the league's best defense
• However, the Blue and Gold allowed a season-worst 588 yards on the defensive side

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Limestone came away empty on its first possession of the day, despite a 47-yard catch by Smith, but the Saints capitalized with a short field on its second. Following a fumble recovery by senior Titus Williams (Greenwood, S.C.), Phillips hit Smith on a 27-yard connection two plays later to make it 7-0 early on.
 
It appeared that Catawba had tied the game as Eamon Smart found daylight on a 52-yard run, but Reid caught up and stripped the runner at the 2-yard line before recovering the ball for a touchback. The Indians would tie the game on their next drive, however, on a 74-yard touchdown catch.
 
Second Quarter
 
The Indians grabbed their first lead of the afternoon with 6:49 remaining in the second quarter, pulling ahead 10-7 on a 33-yard field by Lee Brackman. Limestone's defense came up with a big stop on 3^rd-and-20 deep in Catawba territory, but a roughing the passer call kept the drive going.  
 
The Saints responded on the ensuing possession, marching 59 yards on 13 plays before Nick Smith split the uprights from 33 yards away to knot things up at 10-all with 1:40 left in the half. Phillips hit Fleming for 14 yards to start the series before finding Smith twice for a combined 24 yards on the scoring drive.
 
Catawba's two-minute offense was gaining some traction until Reid forced his second fumble of the half, and Limestone's third turnover gained over the first 30 minutes. On the very next play, Phillips hit Hornsby in stride down the home sideline for a 59-yard touchdown strike to take a 17-10 halftime lead.  
 
Third Quarter
 
The Indians took their opening drive of the second half and tied the game at 17-all after converting a 3^rd-and-18 to get into the redzone. Patrick O'Brien found Kenyatta Greene out of the backfield on a 10-yard swing pass, but the Saints countered to retake the lead, 20-17, on a 37-yard field goal.
 
The Blue and Gold moved the ball 57 yards on 10 plays, highlighted by a 23-yard run by Patton on 3^rd-and-10 before Nick Smith hit his second field goal of the day. The back-and-forth affair continued on Catawba's next drive as the visitors went back on top, 24-20, on a 37-yard touchdown run by Greene.
 
The Indians would find the endzone for a third straight series as a one-handed grab by Keyon West led to a 33-yard touchdown, staking the visitors a 31-20 advantage late in the period. Following a Limestone punt, senior long snapper Will Brasington (Florence, S.C.) made a huge play as he hustled down the field and stripped the ball from the returner at the Catawba 29-yard line.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
With the ball deep on the plus side of the field to start the fourth, Limestone could not produce any points as a touchdown catch by Smith was negated by a holding penalty before a 24-yard field goal attempt by Smith was blocked.
 
Limestone's defense came up with a much-needed stop on the next series, and the offense took advantage by cutting the margin to 31-28 following a 5-play, 77-yard drive and a two-point converstion. Smith started the drive with a 53-yard catch before Patton took it up the gut for a five-yard TD run.
 
That would be the closest things would get, however, as Catawba pulled away late with a 32-yard touchdown reception by Greene and then a 30-yard pick-six by Kyle Kitchens on the very next play.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Despite giving up touchdown drive on each of Catawba three third-quarter possessions, the Saints were still in the game after a scoring run by Patton made it a 31-28 game with 8:04 left to play. However, the Indians would put the game out of reach late with a pair of scores over a 10-second span.
 
NOTABLES
 

• Limestone honored 28 seniors before kickoff
• In his two starts, Phillips has thrown for 813 yards and four touchdowns
• Smith has 367 yards receiving over the last two games
• Patton set a new single-season rushing record – he has 813 yards in his rookie season
• His seventh touchdown of the year also set a new team single-season record
• For a second straight week, the Saints posted 400 yards or more against the league's top-ranked defense
• Limestone surpassed 500 yards of offense for only the third time in program history
• With a three-game skid to close the year, the Saints have yet to post a winning home record

 
UP NEXT
 
Limestone will bring the 2017 season to a close as it travels to take on conference front-runner No. 16 Wingate University on Saturday, November 4 at 6 p.m.