Complete Box Score

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Unfortunately, it's starting to sound like a broken record. For the fourth time in the last five games, Mercyhurst held a lead in the fourth quarter, only to see those leads slip away - the latest at the hands of Slippery Rock on Saturday afternoon. 

Slippery Rock scored two touchdowns in the final 5:27, including a one-yard run by quarterback Cody Endres with 57 seconds left, to propel The Rock to a 28-21 victory over Mercyhurst at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium in Slippery Rock. The loss was the fifth in a row for the Lakers, who dropped to 3-6 overall and 1-5 in the PSAC West. The Rock, the 18th-ranked team according to the latest poll, improved to 8-1 overall and a perfect 6-0 in the conference.

As they have done all season, the Lakers struck first. Freshman Richie Sanders Jr. capped off a five-play, 60-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run with 5:27 left in the first quarter, giving Mercyhurst a 7-0 lead. It was Sanders' second touchdown of the season, and second in as many weeks.

The Rock came right back, with back-to-back touchdown passes from Endres to Devin Goda. The first score came from 12 yards out on the third play from scrimmage in the second quarter, while the second was a 17-yard strike with 5:15 left in the first half.

Mercyhurst would not back down, tying the game at 14-14 with just 29 seconds left in the half, as quarterback Anthony Vendemia found senior Trevor Kennedy from 11 yards out. It was Kennedy's 14th touchdown catch of the season. He broke his own school record of 11 he set last season two weeks ago against Edinboro.

The two teams would go scoreless until Vendemia and Kennedy hooked up again, on a four-yard touchdown with 8:42 left in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers held a 21-14 advantage. The touchdown ended a 13-play, 70-yard drive that lasted nearly seven minutes. However, on the ensuing Slippery Rock drive, Endres hooked up with Ken Amos from 22 yards out, tying the game at 21-21 with 5:27 left to play.

Mercyhurst methodically moved own the field on its next possession, picking up two first downs, and taking 4:19 off the clock. However, on a second-and-11 play from the Slippery Rock 49-yard line, Vendemia was picked off by Anthony Saunders, who returned the interception to the Mercyhurst one-yard line with 1:01 showing on the clock. On the very next play, Endres scored, giving the Rock a 28-21 lead with 57 seconds remaining.

The Lakers had one final chance to tie, driving to the Slippery Rock 29-yard line with 35 seconds remaining. But, Vendemia was pilfered again on 3rd-and-4 at The Rock's seven-yard line, ending the final chance for a Laker comeback.

Mercyhurst totaled 358 yards on the day, well above the season average that Slippery Rock had allowed all season (222.2). In fact, The Rock came in with the nation's best defense statistically, but the Lakers held a 358-261 advantage on offense. Sanders led the ground attack for Mercyhurst, rushing for 99 yards on 22 carries, and also catching four passes for 32 yards out of the backfield. Mercyhurst outrushed Slippery Rock 103-66.

Through the air, Vendemia was 22-of-36 for 209 yards and two touchdowns, but was picked off three times for the second week in a row. Kennedy led the way with seven catches for 66 yards and both scores. He broke Ed Bailey's record of 1,102 receiving yards during the 2000 seson and now has 1,114 yards with still two games on the schedule. He has also broken the school record for touchdown receptions in a season with 15 and the single-season record for all-purpose yards with 1,746. The mark was previously held by Richard Stokes who amassed 1540 in 2007. Kennedy has also become the all-time leader in career punt return yards with 673.

Endres was 17-of-29 for 195 yards and three scores for Slippery Rock. Goda caught six passes for 72 yards for The Rock.

Defensively, Slippery Rock's Jake Wickline led all tacklers with 14, while Brandon Watters had 10. The Lakers were led by Nick Jackson with six tackles. Kevin Williams, Brad Weisenseel, and Andrew Bukta each had five. Senior Ian Wild did not play - he was injured late in the game at California a week ago.

Mercyhurst will continue its four-game road trip to conclude the regular season at Clarion next Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.