The Haven took to the field tonight for the home finale

LOCK HAVEN, PA. –The Lock Haven University football team couldn’t overcome a strong Slippery Rock University ground attack as they fell to the visiting Rock by a 27-11 score.

The game was the home season finale for LHU who is still searching for their first win.

Slippery Rock got off to a rapid start on their first drive of the game as quarterback Nate Crookshank hit receiver Josh Prigorac on a 22 yard route to find the endzone and make the score 6-0. Kicker CJ Bahr’s PAT would sneak through the uprights making the score 7-0.

The teams would find themselves going back and forth with no scoring until with 1:46 left in the first frame, Crookshank would hit Paul Favers 43 yards downfield to make the score 13-0. Bahr’s extra point would go wide right keeping the score at 13-0.

The score would remain the same for the rest of the frame as SRU would take a 13-0 lead into quarter number two.

Both teams would then go back and forth until The Rock would get the ball with ten minutes to go in the half.

The next drive would chew up 4:58 of the clock and ultimately wind up in the endzone as Crookshank would throw his third and final touchdown of the evening to Frank Cremonese to make the score 20-0 following Bahr’s PAT.

The SRU scoring drive took 13 plays and maneuvered through 90 yards of turf to extend the lead to where it would stay as both teams headed to the locker room.

LHU would receive the opening kick of the second half and would waste little time setting up for a score.

The return by Kyle Crane covered 72 yards and set LHU up at the Slippery Rock 18.

Even with the fine field position The Haven’s offense struggled as they had to settle for a 39 yard Marc Domonkos field goal to cut the SRU lead to 17 at a 20-3 margin.

Midway through the frame SRU would tack on another touchdown, this time off the legs of Damarcus Cleckley as her rumbled in from two yards out to make the score 27-3.

The Rock and The Haven would go back and forth for the rest of the game until with 48 seconds left freshman running back Ibrahim Smith galloped in from nine yards out to find pay dirt and cut the SRU lead to a 27-9 gap.

LHU’s two point conversion attempt would be converted and they were within two possessions as they cut in to the SRU lead at 27-11.

The ensuing Brendon Pickel onside kick attempt seemed to have no hope as it was booted horizontally but the ghosts of LHU pushed it up field where it was recovered giving the Bald Eagles new life.

The Lock Haven drive would be stalled by a stiff Slippery Rock defense and the game would end that way in a 27-11 defeat.

Leading the way for LHU on the ground was freshman running back Dwight Carroll who picked up 82 yards on eight carries. Smith also helped carry the load as he racked up 71 yards on 12 runs and also picked up the late TD.

Through the air The Haven was led by the tandem of freshman Tyler Golden and sophomore Ilio DiPaolo who both threw for 52 yards on the evening. Golden was 7-17 with an interception and DiPaolo was 6-10.

The leading LHU receiver was Damar Dowell who hauled in four balls for 37 yards.

On the ground SRU was led by Corey Manfull who in only one half of action scampered for 108 yards on 13 carries. He also got help in the second half from Cleckley who would pund ahead for 84 yards on 15 runs.

Through the air Nate Crookshank stole the show as he was 17-32 for 210 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

LHU will look for their first win of the year next week as they travel to Clarion University. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 pm on Saturday November 10, 2007 at Memorial Stadium in Clarion.