Macomb, IL — Western Illinois football came up just short in a hard-fought contest on Saturday afternoon, falling 29-24 to Charleston Southern at Hanson Field.

The Leathernecks (1-7, 0-4 OVC) led for much of the game behind another strong performance from quarterback Cason Carswell, who completed 34 of 51 passes for 375 yards and two touchdowns. Western's offense totaled 463 yards and controlled possession for nearly 35 minutes, showing consistency through the air and on the ground.

Christian Anaya hauled in six receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown, while Alex Williams added a score among his four catches. Markell Holman paced the rushing attack with 71 yards and a one-yard touchdown, adding 10 receptions for 84 yards as a dual-threat option.

Antonio Chadha connected on a 41-yard field goal and converted all three of his extra-point attempts. Defensively, Buju Aumua-Tuisavura and Justin Buckner each recorded six tackles, while Buckner and Aa'zoriyon Bonner combined for a pair of sacks.

Charleston Southern quarterback Zolten Osborne threw four touchdown passes, including two in the fourth quarter to lift the Buccaneers (2-6, 1-3 OVC) to the win.

Western Illinois will look to regroup on the road next week before heading into its bye, aiming to finish the second half of OVC play with momentum.

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