GAME BOOK (PDF)

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Gardner-Webb was undone by turnovers on a difficult afternoon that resulted in a 31-15 loss at Monmouth in both teams' season finale.

The Hawks (6-5, 1-4 Big South) won their first Big South game, and scored 10 points off of fumbles in the first quarter to get off to a quick start. Monmouth also scored on a 76-yard fake punt in the second quarter and had a 55-yard interception return for six points in the third quarter to seize momentum for good.

Gardner-Webb (4-8, 0-5 Big South) suffered its first winless Big South season since joining the league in 2002 – and its first winless conference season overall since going 0-7 in the South Atlantic Conference in 1993.

Lucas Beatty passed for 257 yards and scored a rushing touchdown, but was sacked six times, pressured four more times and threw three interceptions. Gardner-Webb managed 352 yards of total offense after a slow start, but could not put pressure on the Hawks with the game tight in the third quarter.

After Beatty's three-yard scoring run with 3:19 left before halftime cut Monmouth's lead to 17-7, Gardner-Webb had momentum on its side. The defense got a stop, but Monmouth's defense slowed GWU just enough to prevent another score before the half.

The Hawks got a sack and fumble on Gardner-Webb's first possession, and took advantage of a short field to go up 7-0 on a Lavon Chaney scoring run from three yards away with 8:23 to play in the first. Another sack and fumble by Monmouth continued a difficult start for the visitors, and Lucas Santangelo slipped a 30-yard field goal inside the left upright for a 10-0 lead with 5:49 to play in the first.

Each of the Hawks' first two scoring drives covered less than 45 yards.

Gardner-Webb's defense came through early in the third quarter, stuffing Monmouth and forcing a 4th-and-12, but up-back Jake Mauro took the punt snap at his own 24 and barreled 76 yards for a special teams score and a 17-0 Hawks' lead with 8:42 eft before the half.

Beatty then took advantage of a short field himself after a very short punt, driving GWU 25 yards and finishing it off with his touchdown run late in the half. <> The GWU defense stepped up again on Monmouth's first drive of the third quarter, with Trey Lucas stripping Neal Sterling near midfield. Aaron Cook scooped the football and dove to the Hawks' 47-yard line – and a late hit by Monmouth pushed the football all the way down to the 33.

Monmouth stuffed Gardner-Webb on a 4th-and-2, however, and flipped the field after being forced to punt. Ryan Mohr uncorked a 60-yarded that was downed at the GWU 11.

After a Gardner-Webb punt, Monmouth appeared to be on its way to increasing its lead, but Cook sacked Brandon Hill and forced a fumble that was scooped up by O.J. Mau. The All-America nose guard rumbled 27 yards out near midfield, but fumbled the football back to the Hawks.

Another nose guard stepped up with a big play on Monmouth's next snap, as Phillip Fata sacked Hill, stripped the football away and recovered the fumble at the 49-yard line.

Beatty found Mike Estes for a 17-yard gain down to the Monmouth 31-yard line on the ensuing drive, but a sack and interception followed to give the Hawks possession. Another punt gave GWU the ball back, and Beatty led the Runnin' Bulldogs out near midfield down just 10 points – but a screen pass to the outside was jumped on a nice guess by Joe Johnson and returned 55 yards for a 24-7 lead with 19 seconds left in the third quarter.

Monmouth put together its lone significant offensive drive early in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. Lavon Chaney broke off a 34-yard run to get the Hawks out of the shadows of their own end zone and Zach Welch followed with runs of eight and 15 yards to get the ball down to the Gardner-Webb 30.

Hill then hit Richards on a 30-yard touchdown pass for a 31-7 lead with 11:39 left in the game – capping a 91-yard drive.

Gardner-Webb responded with a 63-yard drive to score, getting five-yard touchdown run from Bobby Clark and a two-point conversion pass from Beatty to Jacob Henderson for a 31-15 score with 7:52 left.

Beatty moved GWU back near midfield with six minutes left, but Johnson picked off another pass to thwart that drive and end thoughts of a late rally and comeback.

Kenny Cook wrapped up his college career with eight catches for 77 yards and tight end Mike Estes hauled in seven passes for 75 yards. Henderson caught a career-high seven passes for 48 yards, including two first-down receptions.

Juanne Blount led the ground game with 33 yards on 13 carries and Tyrell Maxwell came off the bench to rush for 31 yards on four attempts at quarterback.

Spencer Havird recorded nine total tackles (four solo) and a half tackle for loss at safety to pace Gardner-Webb's defense. Azziz Higgins added six stops and Angel Guzman led three other players with five stops each from his cornerback spot.

Aaron Cook had two tackles for loss, a sack, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble – finishing his season with 92 total hits.

Monmouth had 356 yards offensively, but managed only 11 first downs and were limited to 3-of-16 on third down by a solid Gardner-Webb defensive effort.

Hill finished 13-of-29 for 161 yards and a score through the air and Chaney had 88 yards rushing and 41 yards receiving for a strong day. Payton Minnich had 11 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble for the Hawks' defense.