WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Shippensburg University football team took to the ground on Saturday, running for its most yards in a game since November 2011, but could not stave off a powerful attack from No. 10 West Chester, falling 55-28 on an overcast and breezy afternoon from Farrell Stadium.
 
Shippensburg (3-4, 2-4 PSAC) entered the game with both of its quarterbacks extremely limited due to injury. Redshirt-freshman Ryan Zapoticky got the start – the first of his career – and had a game effort under center.
 
Zapoticky, however, had to constantly evade a furious Golden Ram pass rush. He finished the afternoon throwing for 142 yards but was sacked five times – twice on fourth down – and WCU was credited with four additional quarterback hurries.
 
SU fell behind early but captured its only lead of the game in the first quarter after senior Blair Brooks scored from 25 yards out. Brooks' scoring opportunity was set up after he fought his way through the West Chester defensive line for a 42-yard run on the previous play.
 
After three straight West Chester scores, Shippensburg cut the Golden Rams' lead to 27-14 late in the first half after Brooks found the end zone on another 42-yard run.
 
In total, Brooks toted the ball 18 times for a career-high 171 yards, averaging 9.5 yards per carry, in addition to his fourth two-touchdown game of the year. He is now sixth all-time in career rushing yards at Shippensburg (2,176) and eighth in all-purpose yards (3,695).
 
Junior Chris Lawshe came off the bench during the third quarter but did not throw a pass in the game. He managed one rush for eight yards that gave SU a first down, briefly exited, and returned for the majority of the second half to hand the ball off.
 
Despite the limitations, SU's backfield worked tirelessly and ran hard – running the ball 57 times for 322 yards – marking the most rushes and rushing yards for the Red Raiders in their last 32 games (60 rushes, 401 yards vs. ESU on Nov. 5, 2011).
 
Three backs ran for at least 60 yards. Junior Andrew Smith had 11 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown; he was not stopped once for negative yardage, and averaged 7.1 yards per rush. Smith, who entered the day ranked No. 3 in Division II for kickoff return yards, added 141 to his total despite the Golden Rams squibbing their kickoffs in the second half. His 219 all-purpose yards mark his SU career high.   
 
Sophomore Justin Pyle had another workman-like performance. He capped off SU's final drive of the game, a 14-play, 98-yard sequence (all runs) with a one-yard plunge. Whether taking direct snaps or handoffs, Pyle finished with a career-high 67 yards on 17 carries; he entered Saturday with 21 rushes and 82 yards for the season.  
 
Junior wide receiver Sheldon Mayer, whose younger brother Shannon played against him in the game for West Chester, caught three passes for 66 yards – 47 of which came on a flea flicker on SU's first play from scrimmage. He moved into seventh all-time in SU's career receptions list with 139.
 
Senior Trevor Harman was limited to a career-low eight receiving yards on three catches, and SU's 142 passing yards are its fewest since its game at Millersville in October 2011 that was played in a snowstorm.
 
West Chester (7-0, 6-0) totaled 586 yards on offense and had its quarterback Sean McCartney throw for 393 yards and five scores. The Golden Rams, however, who entered the game as the PSAC's No. 1 total defense (286.0), yielded a season-high 464 yards to the Red Raiders.
 
For the second straight game, SU did not commit a turnover. The Red Raiders entered last week's game at Lock Haven having won the turnover margin just once in 14 games but have now done so in back-to-back contests.
 
Shippensburg returns home next Saturday for Homecoming. Kickoff against Cheyney is set for noon at SU Student Association Field at Seth Grove Stadium.