Box Score
Video Interviews

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Redshirt sophomore Akeem Satterfield scored on an eight-yard rush in overtime and The Rock defense held the guests on the ensuing possession Saturday night to give hosting Slippery Rock University a 33-27 win over over West Chester in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference “crossover” action on Bob DiSpirito Field at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

The winning TD was the third scored by Satterfield, who missed last week's game at Cheyney due to an injury, and capped a 26-carry, 192-yard rushing effort by the former Erie Cathedral Prep High School graduate. He scored on runs of 11 and six yards prior to his final carry.

The win gave SRU a 3-0 record for the second straight season and third time in the last four campaigns.

The victory was also the 150th of 23-year Rock head coach George Mihalik's career. He now owns a 150-90-4 record as The Rock's boss.

Saturday's loss dropped West Chester, the preseason pick to win the PSAC-Eastern Division championship, to 0-3 this fall.

Rock redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Sabo was 12-for-15 passing for 135 yards and one touchdown and junior wide receiver Devin Goda led Rock receivers with seven grabs for 76 yards.

Senior placekicker #C.J. Bahr# made two field goals, including a 47-yarder with 31 seconds left in regulation time that tied the score at 27-27 and forced overtime.

Slippery Rock's defense was led by junior cornerback Andre Freeman, who had a game-high 13 total tackles. He also forced a fumble on West Chester's lone overtime possession. That play helped The Rock defense make its final stand.

Senior nose guard Aaron Nall and senior defensive end Andrew Pianetti combined for a quarterback sack.

As a team, SRU recorded 344 yards of total offense including 209 rushing yards behind its veteran offensive line.

The Rock defense allowed the Golden Rams to accumulate 422 yards in total offense, led by a 222-yard passing effort by quarterback Mike Mattei, but stood tall when it counted the most in overtime.

The first quarter was a defensive battle as neither offense was able to establish itself, which resulted in the squads trading punts and field position.

After a scoreless first period, both offenses awoke in the second stanza.

The Golden Rams struck first with a four-yard touchdown rush by D'Andre Webb with 11:42 left in the first half.

The Green and White answered back with points of their own when Bahr connected on a 39-yard field goal on the ensuing drive to make the score 7-3 with 7:49 left before the intermission.

West Chester then pulled ahead by a 14-3 score on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Mattei to Dan DePalma with 3:51 left in the half.

SRU scored its first touchdown with 49 seconds left in the half as Sabo hooked up with junior tight end Josh Gardner for a four-yard touchdown pass to trim the West Chester lead to 14-10 at the intermission.

The Golden Rams added to their lead with a 33-yard field goal by Shawn Leo with 9:45 left in the third period.

That's when Satterfied, who had four carries for 51 yards in the first half, assumed the bulk of The Rock offensive attack.

He was nearly unstoppable in the second half, rushing for 141 yards. His first two TD runs tied the score at 17-17 with 0:36 left in the third stanza and 24-24 with 8:30 left in the game.

West Chester retook the lead at 27-24 on a 20-yard field goal by Leo with 2:37 left to play.

Slippery Rock's offense took the field for the final time at their own 42 yard line with 2:30 left to play and moved 28 yards, all on Satterfield rushing attempts, to set up Bahr's game-tying 47-yard field goal with 0:31 left in regulation time.

That pressure kick was one yard shy of Bahr's career-best boot Oct. 3, 2009, vs. Mercyhurst.

It took just two Satterfield rushes in overtime to put The Rock on top for the first time in the game. But, after Bahr's extra-point kick was blocked, the win wasn't secure until a fourth-and-12 pass by Mattei from The Rock 13 fell incomplete in the end zone.

Slippery Rock will be back in action on the road next Saturday for its first PSAC-Western Division game of the season at Indiana (2-1). Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.