Despite coming out on top in the turnover categories, Eastern made some crucial mistakes in Saturday’s 40-37 overtime loss to Tennessee Tech.

The game marked the first time in over two years the Panthers lost a contest when being on the plus side of the turnover margin, Eastern defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni said.

Eastern’s only turnover of the day came during its fourth quarter comeback, when wide receiver Mike Morris fumbled a completed pass on the Tennessee Tech 12-yard line.

“It’s weird because if you turnover the ball more, the less chance you have of winning,” Panther quarterback Matt Schabert said. “It was an unfortunate turnover, and even though we came back, it still took some of our steam away.”

On the other side of the ball the Panthers had two takeaways that they turned into 14 points. The first was defensive tackle Tim Kelly’s 10-yard interception return for a touchdown and the other was Chad Cleveland’s interception that set up a Matt Schabert touchdown throw on the next play.

Although the Panthers came out ahead in the turnover battle they committed some key penalties that gave the Golden Eagles second chances on drives. Eastern had 11 penalties on the day that resulted in 71 yards for Tennessee Tech.

Two offside penalties in overtime extended the Golden Eagles drive, in which running back Derek White would run for the winning score. On a third-and-six play the Panthers were lined up offsides and moved the Golden Eagles up to a third and one situation.

Eastern also yielded some big plays to Tennessee Tech that helped put it over the top. The Golden Eagles longest play of the day was an 86-yard touchdown on a trick play. Tennessee Tech quarterback Robert Kraft threw a wide receiver screen to Brent McNeal who threw down field to Antonio Minor who was able to slip past the Eastern defense that was reacting to the screen.

“Those six mistakes (the 86 yards touchdown and the penalties) were the difference in the game,” Bellantoni said. “With a team like that you can’t afford to give them any mulligans.”

Another trouble the Panthers ran into was red-zone scoring, Schabert said. While the Panthers scored five out of six times they were inside the 20-yard line, they didn’t always come out with the results they wanted.

On the Panthers first drive of the game they made it down to the Golden Eagles 7-yard line but couldn’t put it in with four chances. Steve Kuehn missed the 33-yard field goal attempt and the Panthers walked away empty handed.

“When we were in the red zone we couldn’t put it in,” Schabert said. “We could have had a chance to open it up early but instead they jumped out ahead.”