Quad Law
Joe Mattis
Junior Quad Law posted season-highs in receptions (9) and receiving yards (127) at Slippery Rock.
28
Gannon University GAN 4-1 , 3-1
31
Winner Slippery Rock ROCK 5-0 , 4-0
Gannon University GAN
4-1 , 3-1
28
Final
31
Slippery Rock ROCK
5-0 , 4-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
GAN Gannon University 13 7 0 8 28
ROCK Slippery Rock 3 14 14 0 31

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Mercyhurst University

10/11/2014 | 12:00 PM

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Oct. 11 (Sat) / 12:00 PM
 Mercyhurst University

Game Recap: Football | | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Football Team Suffers First Defeat with 31-28 Setback at No. 20 Slippery Rock

THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at No. 20 Slippery Rock 31, Gannon 28
  • Records: Gannon (4-1, 3-1 PSAC), No. 20 Slippery Rock (5-0, 4-0 PSAC)
  • Location: Slippery Rock, Pa. – Mihalik-Thompson Stadium
  • The Short Story: Slippery Rock overcame a 20-17 halftime deficit with two third-quarter touchdowns after Gannon miscues and stopped a potential game-winning drive in its own territory late in the fourth quarter en route to a 31-28 victory Saturday night. The contest featured the last two undefeated teams in the PSAC Western Division.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Gannon came out ready to play. After a defensive stand on the Rock's opening drive, the Golden Knights marched 85 yards on 12 plays during their first possession. The big blow was redshirt junior Liam Nadler's (Leipsic, Ohio/Leipsic Local) 51-yard run on Gannon's second play. All but 11 yards came on the ground, but the drive was capped by a seven-yard touchdown pass from Nadler to redshirt junior Jesstin Hamm (Harwood, Md./DeMatha Catholic) 5:56 into the contest. A missed extra point left the score at 6-0.
  • Slippery Rock cut the deficit in half with a 26-yard field goal from Mike Wainauskis during its next possession.
  • Gannon took its biggest lead of the game late in the first quarter. A defensive stand forced a Slippery Rock punt deep in its own end, giving the Golden Knights possession at the Gannon 49-yard line. The Golden Knights needed only two plays to bump their lead to 13-3. After a 24-yard pass from Nadler to junior Quad Law (Donora, Pa./Ringgold), junior Brock Jones (Peninsula, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) found the end zone from 27 yards out with 1:07 remaining in the first quarter.
  • Slippery Rock immediately answered with touchdowns on its next two possessions to assume a 17-13 lead. The first drive was a six-play, 73-yard series that took only 1:55 to pull within 13-10. A 42-yard pass play from Zach Newsock to Melvin German on the first play of the second quarter sparked the drive that ended with Teddy Blakeman's three-yard touchdown run.
  • Following a defensive stop, Slippery Rock went 66 yards in only 1:31 to assume its first lead of the evening at 17-13. The final connection was again Newsock to German. This time it was a 48-yard touchdown strike with 9:53 left in the first half.
  • Defense set up Gannon's final score of the half. The Golden Knights forced a three-and-out from inside the Rock's 20-yard line. The ensuing punt was fair caught at the Rock 39-yard line. After three pass completions, Jones scampered in from 24-yards out to push Gannon back in front 20-17 with 3:45 left until halftime.
  • Two Gannon miscues led to a 14-0 Slippery Rock scoring advantage during the third quarter. The first was a blocked punt that resulted in a Rock touchdown 3:43 into the quarter, pushing the home team back in front 24-20.
  • On its next possession, Gannon lost a fumble at the Rock's 47-yard line. Slippery Rock kept the ball on the ground for seven of the drive's eight plays. The last one was a one-yard touchdown plunge from Shamar Greene to give the Rock what seemed to be a commanding 31-20 lead with 6:05 left in the third quarter.
  • Gannon rallied with an 11-play, 80-yard drive midway through the fourth quarter. The Golden Knights used a passing attack for the entire drive. Faced with third-and-18, Nadler connected with Law for 27 yards and a first down at the Rock 11-yard line. Hamm caught an 11-yard touchdown pass on the next play and Caliste converted a two-point conversion to pull within 31-28 at the 5:23 mark.
  • The Slippery Rock offense went three-and-out on its next possession, setting Gannon up at the Rock 41-yard line after a 22-yard punt return by Caliste. But the Golden Knights were unable to pick up a first down after three consecutive incomplete passes and the Rock ran out the clock.

GAME NOTES
  • Gannon won almost every statistical category except the scoreboard. The Golden Knights held advantages in total yards (524-380), first downs (22-16), passing yards (370-219) and time of possession (35:28-24:32).
  • The Golden Knights were whistled for 13 penalties that resulted in 105 yards. It represented the most penalty yards since losing 138 yards against Lock Haven on October 16, 2010. It was the most penalties since having 14 against Mercyhurst on October 10, 2009.
  • Law posted season-highs in both receptions (9) and receiving yards (127). He barely missed his career-high of 10 catches for 132 yards against West Chester on September 14, 2013.
  • Jones recorded career-highs in receptions (7) and receiving yards (81).
  • Nadler set season-highs in completions (30), attempts (50), and passing yards (370).
  • Sophomore Mike Zanders (Charlotte, N.C./Hopewell) led the Gannon defense with a career-high 13 tackles, surpassing his previous high of 12 set at Indiana (Pa.) on November 9, 2013.
  • Redshirt junior Mike Phillips (Bowie, Md./Bowie) produced a season-high 12 stops.
  • Redshirt junior Joshua Wiechelt (Depew, N.Y./Depew) recorded his first career interception during the second quarter.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Gannon and Slippery Rock entered Saturday's game as two of only 29 undefeated teams remaining in NCAA Division II. They were the only two undefeated programs left in the PSAC Western Division.
  • Saturday's loss dropped the Golden Knights into a three-way tie for second place with Indiana (Pa.) and California (Pa.).
  • Redshirt senior Luke Rankie (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) moved into Gannon's all-time top 10 in tackles with nine stops at Slippery Rock. He jumped three players and into eighth place all-time with 238 career tackles.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon returns home Saturday, October 11 against rival Mercyhurst at Gannon University Field. It will be Homecoming Weekend with a game time of 12 noon.
  • The Niagara Cup will once again be on the line. The Lakers have held the award given to the rivalry's annual winner for the last two years. Gannon last had possession of the Cup after a 30-27 victory at Tullio Field on October 1, 2011.
  • Gannon will be home for the first time imn three weeks. The Golden Knights' last home contest was a 37-28 victory against Kutztown on September 20.
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Players Mentioned

Jesstin Hamm

#7 Jesstin Hamm

WR
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Communication Arts
Brock Jones

#25 Brock Jones

RB
5' 10"
Junior
Business Entrepreneurship
Quad Law

#8 Quad Law

WR
5' 7"
Junior
Sport and Exercise Science
Liam Nadler

#10 Liam Nadler

QB
6' 7"
Redshirt Junior
Political Science
Mike Phillips

#2 Mike Phillips

DB
5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
Criminal Justice
Luke Rankie

#44 Luke Rankie

LB
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Sports Management and Marketing
Joshua Wiechelt

#3 Joshua Wiechelt

LB
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Accounting
Mike Zanders II

#31 Mike Zanders II

DB
5' 9"
Sophomore
Undeclared

Players Mentioned

Jesstin Hamm

#7 Jesstin Hamm

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Communication Arts
WR
Brock Jones

#25 Brock Jones

5' 10"
Junior
Business Entrepreneurship
RB
Quad Law

#8 Quad Law

5' 7"
Junior
Sport and Exercise Science
WR
Liam Nadler

#10 Liam Nadler

6' 7"
Redshirt Junior
Political Science
QB
Mike Phillips

#2 Mike Phillips

5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
Criminal Justice
DB
Luke Rankie

#44 Luke Rankie

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Sports Management and Marketing
LB
Joshua Wiechelt

#3 Joshua Wiechelt

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Accounting
LB
Mike Zanders II

#31 Mike Zanders II

5' 9"
Sophomore
Undeclared
DB