KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Shippensburg University football team had its five-game winning streak come to an end Saturday as it could not recover from a 23-point run in a 51-27 loss at Kutztown in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division finale at a cloudy and breezy Andre Reed Stadium.
               
Shippensburg (7-3, 5-2 PSAC East) entered Saturday's game with a chance to win the PSAC East and host the State Game with a victory. Instead, SU's loss, coupled with West Chester's win over East Stroudsburg puts the Golden Rams in the PSAC title game next week against Slippery Rock.
 
The Red Raiders had answers to each of Kutztown's two first-half scores as the Golden Bears started the scoring with a 9-yard touchdown pass with 9:45 remaining in the first quarter. Less than four minutes later, SU came back with a 34-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Ryan Zapoticky to redshirt-freshman Paryss Marshall on a fantastic leaping catch and run by the receiver.
 
The touchdown was set up by sophomore Kevin Goldsmith's second interception of the season. The leading tackler for Shippensburg this season, Goldsmith had another fine day, recording 12 tackles with 1.5 for loss, a sack and the pick.
 
Following a two-yard touchdown run by Kutztown's Darrell Scott, the Red Raiders again answered quickly as Zapoticky found senior Sheldon Mayer, who made a man miss and raced 16 yards for a touchdown. Mayer has now caught a touchdown in 24 different games throughout his career.
 
Mayer's touchdown tied the game 14-14, but the Golden Bears added a field goal and another touchdown with 17 seconds remaining in the first half to take a 10-point lead into the intermission.
 
Kutztown was able to take full control of the game in the third quarter with 13 unanswered points as SU gained just 25 yards in the period. SU finished with 362 total yards, but was 1-of-14 on third downs. The Red Raiders entered Saturday second in the PSAC in third-down conversions at 44 percent.
 
Despite the high point total, SU had a couple standout defensive performances, including senior linebacker Cortlin Dell, who totaled a game-high 14 tackles.
 
Redshirt-freshman Richard Nase continued his incredible 2015 season with two more sacks and three tackles for loss. Nase now has 10 sacks on the season, which ties him for third all-time in a single season in SU history.
 
Offensively, Zapoticky finished with 176 yards passing and two touchdowns. Mayer set a new season-high with 93 yards receiving on eight receptions. Senior Andrew Smith  led the Red Raiders in rushing with 84 yards on 11 carries.
 
Smith also finished with 27 yards receiving and 107 return yards to crack the 200-yard all-purpose mark for the second time this season.
 
Freshman quarterback Chase Yocum scored on a nine-yard touchdown run in relief of Zapoticky in the fourth quarter. The freshman signal caller finished with 59 yards on six carries. He has averaged 7.5 yards per carry on 28 totes in his first season.
 
Yocum also led another touchdown drive late as junior Justin Pyle scored on a two-yard run as time expired.
 
The Red Raiders' 2015 regular season finale will be at Seth Grove Stadium next week against Mercyhurst, beginning at 1 p.m. Before the game the Red Raiders will honor their seniors in a pregame ceremony.