Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - The Shippensburg University football team concluded its 2008 season with a tough 21-17 loss to Mercyhurst College on Saturday afternoon at Tullio Field.

Red-shirt junior Mike Harris became the second player in school history to surpass 1,000 yards receiving, joining Jamie Ware '99 in the elite club. Harris finished the afternoon with seven catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.

Shippensburg (4-7) concluded its 2008 season by playing a hard fought contest that was decided in the final moments of the fourth quarter. The Red Raiders were driving for the go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter before turning the ball over on downs with 43 seconds left.

Shippensburg put themselves out to an early lead with a nine-play, 80 yard drive that ended with red-shirt sophomore Chris Infante plowing into the end zone from one yard out. Infante led the team with 70 yards on 16 carries.

Mercyhurst (7-4, 5-2 PSAC West) would score two touchdowns in the second quarter before the Red Raiders found the end zone again. In the final minute of the second quarter red-shirt junior Chad DiFebbo would lead the Red Raider offense on a five-play, 63 yard drive. DiFebbo would finish the drive by hitting Harris for an eight yard touchdown pass that would make it 14-14 at halftime.

DiFebbo finished the day completing 13 of 27 attempts for 236 yards and one touchdown.

The third quarter featured stalled drives from both teams and featured no scoring until junior Kyler Ford connected on a 20-yard field goal to lift Shippensburg to a 17-14 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

On the ensuing drive the Lakers moved the ball 71 yards in eight plays for the go ahead score on a five yard touchdown run by Aaron Haynes in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.

Shippensburg would have three fourth quarter drives that brought them inside the Mercyhurst 30-yard line, but on two occasions a fumble ended the Red Raider threat.

More details to follow.