CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Gardner-Webb football team's attempt at an upset came up just short on Saturday afternoon as the Runnin' Bulldogs fell to conference-leading Southeast Missouri State by the final of 30-24.
 
Graduate running back Edward Saydee led the way for GWU, rushing for 52 yards and a score while hauling in four passes for a team-leading 84 yards and a touchdown. Senior wide receiver Anthony Lowe finished the day with five catches for 75 yards a score. Defensively, redshirt-junior safety Wendell McClain provided nine tackles and an interception while junior defensive end Robert Holtz added two sacks.
 
After a series of forced punts by both sides, Gardner-Webb was able to strike first following the first of two interceptions thrown by Paxton DeLaurent. Setting up shop deep in SEMO territory, Saydee took a 3^rd-and-5 handoff, rumbling to the house for an early 7-0 lead.
 
The Gardner-Webb defense came up big on the ensuing drive by the Redhawks, intercepting DeLaurent for a second consecutive pass, this time taking over possession inside the 20-yard line. It would take only two plays for the Runnin' Bulldogs to hit paydirt as senior quarterback Tyler Riddell hit Lowe in stride for a 14-yard touchdown.
 
However, SEMO came back with a 14-play, 75-yard drive that sparked a series of 21-straight points for the home team, giving the Redhawks their first lead at 21-14 with just over a minute left in the first half.
 
Following a 40-yard kickoff return by Lowe, Gardner-Webb looked poised to add points to the board before halftime as it marched all the way down to the Southeast Missouri State 2-yard line. However, a costly interception ended the drive while sending SEMO into the locker room leading by seven.
 
The Redhawks added a field goal on their opening possession of the second half while establishing a double-digit lead at 24-14, but Gardner-Webb stayed within striking distance after ripping off a 6-play, 77-yard drive, capped by a 25-yard pitch-and-catch from Riddell to Saydee, trimming the deficit to 24-21.
 
SEMO tacked on another field goal with 5:03 on the third quarter clock, pushing the advantage back to 27-21 heading into the final period of play.
 
After forcing a punt by te Redhawks, Gardner-Webb moved the ball inside the opponents 20-yard line but a pre-snap penalty on third-and-short proved costly as GWU settled for a Jay Billingsley 35-yard field goal.
 
After the Redhawks nailed another field goal to extend the lead to 30-24, Gardner-Webb was presented one last opportunity to pull the upset, but an interception put an end to the contest.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs will return to action on Saturday, November 2, traveling to the coast to face Charleston Southern in Big South/OVC action. Game time is slated for 2 p.m.