Video credits: Photography, video and production by Ethan Magoc
Music by Alex Pauken

Boxscore

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock outscored Mercyhurst 10-3 in the fourth quarter to complete the come-from-behind victory and take a 17-16 decision in front of 2,942 fans at Bob DiSpirito Field at N.Kerr Thompson Stadium. 

SRU moves to 5-1 overall, 2-1 in the PSAC West while Mercyhurst suffers its first loss in divisional play to post a 3-3 overall record, 2-1 in the PSAC West. 

A struggling Mercyhurst offense and a Rock defense that posted two timely plays helped the comeback effort, including an interception by SRU's Brandon Watters at the 50 with 7:57 remaining. Six plays later Rock quarterback Rocco Colavecchia hit Devin Goda for a 31-yard strike and C.J. Bahr's extra point gave the homestanding Rock a 17-16 lead with 5:10 left to play. 

One possession earlier, Bahr nailed a career-long 48-yard field goal that cut The Rock's lead to 16-10 with just under 8 minutes left to play. 

The Lakers scored just three points in the second half as the offense struggled for much of the day. Robert Giambra's 18-yard field goal with 12:41 left in the fourth quarter ended the scoring for Mercyhurst. 

On that drive, the Lakers started with at their own 37-yardline and Trevor Kennedy hit Josh Szeluga on an end around for a 21-yard gain and enter Rock territory. On the next play, running back Richard Nelloms scrambled for a 35-yard gain to The Rock 7-yardline. However, Slippery Rock's defense withstood a strong goal-line stance from the Lakers and stopped Nelloms at the one on third-and goal. 

Earlier in the game, Giambra's point-after attempt failed on the Lakers second touchdown that gave Mercyhurst a 13-7 advantage at halftime. 

Slippery Rock got on the board first using a 6-play, 80-yard drive in its third possession as time expired in the opening quarter. The Lakers had forced two consecutive three-and-outs against The Rock to open the game, but the third time was a charm as running back SayQuan Scott-Mitchell rolled in from 11 yards out for the score and Bahr provided the extra point. On the drive, Scott-Mitchell proved to be a valuable asset to The Rock, accounting for all but 15 yards, earning 65 rushing yards on five attempts. 

The Lakers defense again stepped up the intensity on The Rock's next possession, forcing Slippery Rock into another punt situation from its own 31-yardline. However, Julius McCormick brought pressure around the left side of the line almost uncontested and smothered Kyle Witman's punt. 
Linebacker Kevin Williams scooped up the ball at the SRU 17 and rumbled in to tie the game with 11:56 remaining in the half. 

Offensively, the Lakers could not find a rhythm in the first two quarters as Slippery Rock held Mercyhurst to three-straight 3-and-outs after the Williams touchdown. 

As the Lakers offense was slowly returning to form, the Mercyhurst defense continued to keep the squad within striking distance as Ryan Taylor forced a fumble and Tim Herbener recovered the loose ball to stop a Rock drive inside Mercyhurst territory midway through the second. 

Then, after Lakers quarterback Joe Laffey was intercepted by Robert Doiley at The Rock 7-yardline to stop the only Mercyhurst drive of the half that entered SRU territory, the Lakers defense came up with an interception of its own, setting up 1st-and-10 from The Rock 30-yardline. 

Ian Wild snared SRU quarterback Rocco Colavecchia's pass with three seconds left in the half to set up a big play from the Lakers offense as Laffey set up under center and connected with a double-covered Trevor Kennedy in the center of the endzone. 

Neither team would score in the third quarter as the Lakers continue to blank opponents after halftime. 

The two teams combined for quiet offensive day, with Mercyhurst gaining 210 total yards to Slippery Rock's 229 yards. Scott-Mitchell led all rushers with 102 yards on 16 attempts while Ben Jennings paced Mercyhurst with 48 yards on 13 carries and Nelloms added 45 yards on seven attempts.
Laffey finished the game with nine completions in 27 attempts for 78 yards. Counterpart Colavecchia finished 11-for-26 with 101 yards. 

Defensively, Wild posted a game-high 13 tackles. Bryan Boyce added 11 stops, including a sack, while fellow linebacker Herbener added nine tackles. 

Mike White led SRU with eight stops. 

The Lakers return home for the first in two week and will face Gannon at 12 noon on Oct. 10th. For those in the Erie area, the game will be televised by CBS affiliate WSEE-35.