COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Ryan Voss’s statistics this season are nowhere near his numbers from last season.

Injuries and fewer opportunities because of the addition of transfer Micah Rucker have dropped Voss’ receptions and touchdowns.

But when Eastern needed a play to be made on Saturday, he came through.

Voss caught a 27-yard touchdown pass in the back right of the end zone late in the third quarter to put the Panthers up by two touchdowns. Eastern added 10 points in the fourth quarter to beat Tennessee Tech 38-14.

“They tried to go over the top with Micah so we came back with Voss,” said quarterback Cole Stinson. “I don’t shy away from (Voss) ever so if they want to try and take one of them, I’ll just go to the other one.”

Voss averaged 36 receptions in his first three seasons but this season has caught 16.

The win keeps the Panthers’ hopes of a repeat Ohio Valley Conference championship intact and they received a boost when it was announced at halftime that Tennessee-Martin lost to Eastern Kentucky, forging a three-way tie for first place with Tennessee State and the Panthers.

Voss’ third-quarter touchdown was his third of the season. It finished off a quarter that saw both teams struggle to score.

“It was kind of like a stalemate,” said cornerback Terrance Sanders. “We just had that mentality that we didn’t want their defense to outplay our defense.”

On the play before the touchdown, senior offensive tackle Eric Johnson committed a holding penalty.

Instead of declining the penalty and forcing a fourth down, TTU acting head coach Doug Malone chose to accept the penalty and give the Panthers a third-down and 19 at Tech’s 27-yard line.

“We got ’em out of field goal range into the wind,” he said. “It was the right decision. It made it third down again, but it was the right call.”

The Panthers held TTU to 11 yards in the third quarter while kicker Zach Yates missed a 32-yard field goal.

The Golden Eagles took a 7-0 lead less than a minute into the game.

Running back Anthony Ash broke a 64-yard run on the game’s first play from scrimmage to get the ball to Eastern’s 15-yard line.

“We misfit that first play,” said defensive tackle Tim Kelly. “It wasn’t like they beat us or anything. As soon as he hit it, I was like ‘oh (expletive).’ I was hoping someone could go make that play.”

Freshman quarterback Lee Sweeney threw a touchdown pass on the next play to Brent McNeal.

It was Sweeney’s 14th touchdown pass of the season.

“He made a couple of real good throws,” said defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni, of Sweeney. “He’s a good player. (But) we got some good hits on him and made him a little uncomfortable in the pocket.”

After the Golden Eagles scored, the Panthers rattled off 21 straight points.

Running back Vincent Webb Jr. scored on a 5-yard run and Stinson threw two touchdowns to Rucker.

Webb, who finished the game with 10 rushes for 43 yards, left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury. He is expected to be OK and ready for next week’s game against Jacksonville State.

In his absence, running backs Ademola Adeniji and Norris Smith combined to rush for 82 yards in the second half.