CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.-Austin Peay State University could not overcome a slow start as it fell to No. 24 Eastern Illinois, 30-20 win, Saturday night, in Ohio Valley Conference action at Governors Stadium. 

The win improves Eastern Illinois to 4-0 on the season, 2-0 in the OVC, while the Governors fall to 1-3, while losing its OVC opener.

The Panthers jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead on a pair of Jake Christensen TDs passes. Both followed unproductive drives by the Governors. After the first drive, the Panthers blocked the Governors punt, taking over at the APSU 10-yard line. The first TD was a two-yard pass to Danny Vehovic. The second TD also came as a result of an APSU punting game issue--Ryan Key's punt hit near midfield and bounced backward all the way to the APSU 29-yard line. The Panther drive culminated in a Christensen four-yard fade to Kenny Whitaker. When Mon Williams scored on a three-yard run early in the second quarter to make it 21-0, Austin Peay had recorded just one first down.

APSU finally broke through midway through the quarter. The Govs drove from their own 32. A Jontamion Forrest 16-yard run, and a 23-yard pass from Gary Orr, making his season's first start at quarterback, to Daniel Lambert to set up the score. Junior running back Terrence Holt raced 13 yards to finally get the Govs on the board.

Any further Govs momentum was halted was a fumble deep in its own territory that led to an EIU field goal just before half to make the score 24-7.

The Governors attempted to make a game out of it early in the second half. After forcing a Panther punt early in the third quarter, APSU took over at EIU's 48 yard line after a punt. An Orr pass to Scott Thomas, of 28 yards, set up Holt's second score, this one coming from one-yard out.

APSU's defense responded with its second straight stop and forced another punt. But the Govs offense could not respond as APSU punted it back to EIU. This time the Panthers answered with a field goal, a 42 yarder, to increase the lead to 27-14.

APSU chance to come back ended in the fourth quarter when the Govs fumbled at the EIU 29 and then twice to convert on fourth down. The second time saw EIU turn it into another Austin Signor field goal, this one of 28 yards.

APSU added a score late for the final margin.

EIU's Jake Christensen completed 21 of 36 passes for 192 yards and two TDs. APSU's Terrence Holt chalked up 224 all-purpose yards to go along with a pair of touchdown runs.

-AP-