CONWAY, S.C. - Senior placekicker Matt Sharpe kicked four field goals, including a 53-yarder, to lift VMI past Coastal Carolina, 19-10, Saturday afternoon at Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C.
VMI moved to 5-5 on the year with two games remaining and kept alive its hopes for its first winning season since 1981. The Keydets evened their Big South mark to 2-2.
Sharpe connected on distances of 45, 53, 25, and 31 yards to go 17 for 23 on the season and establish a new school season mark for field goals in a season. The 53-yarder was also the second longest field goal in VMI history.
VMI sophomore running back Sean Mizzer rushed for 136 yards on 25 carries to net his sixth 100-yard game of the year and ninth for his career.
The Keydet defense, however, keyed the win by holding Coastal Carolina 227 total yards, including just 93 in the second half. It was the lowest output by a VMI opponent this year.
The VMI offense committed turnovers on each of its first three possessions and the Chanticleers capitalized on two of them to jump to a 10-0 first half lead. CCU's Sam Harper pounced on a Jonathan Wilson fumble at the VMI 20-yard line and scored four plays later on Aundres Perkins 11-yard run to the endzone to make it 7-0 with 3:49 left in the first quarter. On VMI's next possession, Wilson was picked off by Greg Williamson at the CCU 34 and returned it 23 yards to the VMI 43. The Chants had to settle for a 42-yard field goal by Josh Hoke with 13:38 remaining in the second quarter.
The Keydets responded quickly on the next possession, sparked by a Titus Green 54-yard kickoff return to the CCU 39 yard line. Two plays later, Wilson found a wide-open Gary Price at the six -yard line and Price took it the rest of the way for VMI's first score. It would key three straight scoring drives for the visitors.
VMI defensive end Adrian Cmerek recovered a fumble at the CCU 33 - ending the Chants next drive, and Sharpe converted the first of four field goals on the day with a 45-yard effort to tie the game at 10-10 with 9:28 remaining in the half. Sharpe put the Keydets up for good, 13-10, at the 1:14 mark of the second half with the second longest field goal in VMI history, 53 yards, moving him past Lee Wimbish who booted a 52-yarder against Richmond in 1980.
VMI took the opening drive of the second half 72 yards in 11 plays, but settled for a Sharpe 25-yard field goal after moving to the CCU five-yard line. A 47-yard completion from Wilson to Zohn Burden was the big play of the drive, and set the stage for Sharpe's 16th field goal of the season which moved him past Craig Jones, who had 15 during the 1977 season.
VMI had a first and goal from the CCU 2 on its next drive, but came away empty when Mizzer, Wison and Price were stopped for no gains,and Sharpe misfired from 32 yards, ending a string of nine consecutive made field goals.
But Sharpe rebounded with a 31-yarder with 6:56 left to provide the 19-10 margin.
Coastal Carolina (4-4, 0-2), which had entered the game with leading the Big South in rushing with a 204.9 average, was held to 150 yards including just 40 rushing yards after intermission. Perkins, the Chants heralded running back who entered the game with a league-leading 110.9 average, was held to 52 yards and left the game at halftime with a sprained knee.
The VMI defense also helped the Keydets hold a sizable advantage in time of possession. VMI controlled the football 20:31 in the second half (12:36 in the third quarter) and limited Coastal Carolina to just three second-half first downs. The Keydets "D" also limited CCU to 77 passing yards, the fewest allowed an opponent through the air in a game this season.
Sophomore linebacker Todd Baldwin, returning to action after sitting out last week with a concussion, led the Keydets with 15 tackles. CCU linebacker Maurice Simpkins led all tacklers with 15 stops.
VMI faces Austin Peay next Saturday in its final home game of the season. Kickoff is 1:00 p.m. Coastal Carolina will travel to Davidson at 1:00 p.m.
