SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. –  Shepherd (1-1) dropped a hard-fought 20-10 decision to #10/11 Slippery Rock (2-0) in football action at Ram Stadium in the home opener on Saturday.
Slippery Rock took a 7-0 lead when  Idris Lawrence raced 32 yards for a score with 8:09 remaining in the first quarter.

Jake Mullins hit on a 24-yard field goal with 14:11 left in the second quarter to up the lead to 10-0.

Redshirt junior quarterback Lek Powell (Carlisle, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) teamed with redshirt senior running back Malakai Brown (Martinsburg, W.Va./Martinsburg) on a 17-yard scoring pass with 6:53 left in the second quarter to cut the lead to 10-7. Freshman kicker Keith Baker (Prince Frederick, Md./Calvert) added the extra point.

Mullins connected on a 25-yard field goal with three seconds left in the half to give Slippery Rock a 13-7 lead at the break.

Baker added a 29-yard field goal with 9:07 left in the third quarter to cut the lead to 13-10.

Slippery Rock quarterback Braden Long teamed with Xander McClure on a six-yard scoring pass with 41 seconds left in the third quarter to increase the lead to 20-10.
Shepherd had 266 yards of total offense while Slippery Rock totaled 339 yards. The Rock gained 182 yards on the ground while Shepherd had 26. Slippery Rock did not turn the ball over. Shepherd had three turnovers.

Powell connected on 22-of-30 passes for 240 yards (all career highs) and a touchdown for the Rams. Long was 17-of-21 for 157 yards and one touchdown.

Brown rushed seven times for 19 yards to lead the Rams. Lawrence had 15 carries for a game-high 82 yards to lead Slippery Rock. Chris-D'Or added 24 carries for 79 yards.

Senior wide receiver Barry Hill (Highland Springs, Va./Varina/West Virginia State) led the Rams with four catches for a game-high 59 yards. Junior wide receiver Cameron Dorner (New Market, Md./Oakdale) added a game-high six receptions for 55 yards, while senior wide receiver Jeremiah Taylor (Upper Marlboro, Md./Annapolis Area Christian School/Fairmont State) had four grabs for 55 yards. Tony Grimes recorded five catches for 44 yards to lead Slippery Rock.

Redshirt junior defensive back Geo-Di Tolbert (Upper Marlboro, Md./Frederick Douglass/Fairmont State) posted a game-high 10 tackles (six solos) for the Rams. Sophomore defensive back Miles Greer (Springfield, Va./South County) added eight stops (four solos), while redshirt freshman linebacker Brodie Carroll (Catharpin, Va./Battlefield) contributed seven tackles (five solos). Teddy Gregory Jr. led Slippery Rock with six tackles (three solos).

Redshirt senior punter Ryan Barrick (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) punted twice for a 48.0 average. He placed a pair of punts inside the 20-yard line and had a long punt of 59 yards.

The Rams return to action on Saturday when they host Clarion at noon for the Hall of Fame Game.