WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Shippensburg University football team went toe-to-toe with No. 12 West Chester on Saturday but could not complete a comeback bid, as the Red Raiders dropped a 28-21 decision to the Golden Rams in a Pennsylvania State Athletic (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup on a sunny afternoon at Farrell Stadium.
 
Shippensburg (2-3, 0-2 PSAC East) forced three turnovers and held a potent Golden Ram offense 16 points below its season average. The Red Raiders, however, committed 11 penalties for 138 yards, were intercepted four times, and limited to a 1-of-12 conversion rate on third down.
 
West Chester (5-0, 2-0) was also guilty of many penalties, as the Golden Rams were flagged 13 times for 118 yards. The two teams combined for 24 penalties and 256 yards of penalties. Through two PSAC East games this season, the Red Raiders have partaken in contests that have featured a combined 48 penalties and 516 penalty yards (22 SU penalties, 26 opponent penalties).
 
Trailing 28-14 in the fourth quarter, SU got a touchdown on a two-yard quarterback keeper from senior Chase Yocum with 3:30 remaining. After the SU defense forced a three-and-out returned possession to the Red Raiders with 3:03 remaining, the second interception of the day by West Chester's Jarey Elder ended the comeback bid.
 
Shippensburg was down 21-7 with 11:32 left in the third quarter but caught a break as West Chester muffed a punt, dropping a fair catch on its own 38 yard-line. The Red Raiders scored a touchdown just two plays later, as redshirt-freshman Brycen Mussina connected with redshirt freshman wide receiver Mari Wright for 37 yards to move the ball to the WCU 1 yard-line. Redshirt-freshman Sean Judge then scored a rushing touchdown, making it 21-14.
 
Mussina set a career-high with 357 passing yards on 27-of-47 passing with a touchdown but also threw four interceptions. For West Chester, Long threw for 356 yards and three scores.
 
It was a strong day for the SU receiving core, as redshirt-junior Josh Gontarek was credited with more than 150 receiving yards. Redshirt-sophomore Charles Headen III had a season-high seven catches for 62 yards, while redshirt-junior Kyle Haines caught two passes for 32 yards – including a 22-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
 
Redshirt-junior Dennis Robinson led the Red Raider defense with 10 tackles — nine of which were solo — while redshirt-junior linebacker Tig Spinelli recorded eight tackles.
 
It was a stellar afternoon for redshirt-junior John Chaney III, who grabbed an interception, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble while recording seven tackles on the day. Chaney III leads SU with three interceptions, and he has recorded an interception three of the last four games. Redshirt-sophomore Tim Bradley recovered a fumble.
 
Redshirt-senior John Durkin had a hand in two sacks. A group of SU seniors recorded tackles-for-loss (TFLs), as Richard Nase, Nick Drawbaugh, Josh Lister, Dakota Thompson and Tyler Emge combined for 4.5 TFLs.
 
UP NEXT: Saturday, 1 p.m. vs. LIU Post. SU is hosting a Make-A-Wish wish reveal at halftime.