SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – Bad went to worse for the Shepherd University football team on Saturday.
After a rough start, losing their first three games – all on the road – the Rams took to the friendly confines of Monte Cater Stadium for the first time.
It didn’t change anything.
Kutztown University, chosen to be the team the beat in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-East Division, spoiled Hall of Fame & Family Day by handing Shepherd a 49-10 defeat. Golden Bears quarterback Judd Novak hit on 11-of-17 passes for 169 yards and three touchdowns to lead the No. 5-ranked team.
For Shepherd, it became the first time it opened the season with four losses since 1994. That team went on to finish 6-4, including 5-1 to win the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title.
Kutztown (4-0, 1-0 in PSAC-East) scored three times to take a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back.
The Golden Bears started the scoring on their second possession as Novak teamed with Steve Burkhardt on a nine-yard scoring pass with 4:48 left in the quarter to complete a 10-play, 84-yard drive.
Kutztown then capitalized on a Shepherd fumble with Jaedyn Stewart’s 10-yard run, followed by Austin Leyman recovering the Rams’ botched punt snap in the end zone for a score to make it 21-0 with 1:56 left in the quarter.
Shepherd got on the scoreboard when sophomore Max Barba connected on a 26-yard field goal with 8:23 left in the half to make it 21-3.
The Golden Bears took a 35-3 halftime lead after scores from Stewart on a 29-yard run and Novak-to-Burkhardt eight-yard TD pass.
Kutztown got the first two scores of the second half to push the lead to 49-3.
Novak fired his third scoring pass by hitting Luke Szabo on a 22-yard TD with 2:09 left in the third and Ben Martin III rushed two yards for a score at the 13:09 mark of the fourth quarter.
The Rams took the opportunity to give some playing time to backup quarterback Ezra Bagent.
The sophomore hit tight end Troy Woolaston for a nine-yard touchdown pass with 10:00 remaining in the game.
Bagent relieved starting quarterback Michael Hardyway, who completed 20-of-32 passed for 189 yards. Bagent, the brother of former Shepherd star and current Chicago Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, was 7-for-14 passing for 67 yard and the TD.
Receiver Kordell Batten had seven grabs for 91 yards for the Rams for the Rams, while fullback Grant Swinehart led the Rams with 58 yards rushing. had six carries for 64 yards for the Golden Bears.
Kutztown owned a 425-345 edge in total offense yards.
Geo-Di Tolbert led the Shepherd defense with nine tackles and a fumble recovery.
MEN’S SOCCER
Shepherd 3, Slippery Rock 0
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – Josh Petty scored a pair of goals to lead Shepherd University to a shutout win over Slippery on Saturday.
Shepherd (3-4-0) took a 1-0 lead at the 53:34 mark when Petty scored on an assist from sophomore forward Sterling Harris.
Boonsboro graduate Mac Long connected on an unassisted goal at 66:47 to up the Rams’ lead to 2-0.
Petty capped the win with his second goal, an unassisted shot at 73:13.
Aidan Houck posted four saves in the shutout the Rams.
Slippery Rock had a 9-7 advantage in shots. The Rams had a 5-4 edge in shots on goal. Corner kicks were even at two each.
Shepherd hosts Shippensburg in a match on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
Shepherd 3, Edinboro 2
EDINBORO, Pa. – Middle hitter/right side Sophia Ryan recorded 15 kills and four blocks to lead Shepherd University to a 21-25, 25-19, 25-19,11-25, 16-14 victory over Edinboro on Saturday.
Smithsburg graduate Emily Ryder added 13 kills for the Rams (10-3), while Amya Davis had 12.
Rylee Lenz contributed five kills and four blocks for the Rams, while Ada McCoy had 10 kills, 10 digs, and three blocks. Madigan Faircloth recorded a match-high 23 digs and three aces and Macy Buso posted a match-high 44 assists and seven digs.
On Friday, Shepherd was swept 25-21, 25-23, 25-19 by Gannon in Erie, Pa.
Davis, McCoy and Ryan had eight kills each to lead the Rams.
Lenz led Shepherd with six blocks and Ryan added four.
Faircloth recorded eight digs and a pair of aces, while Buso recorded 26 assists and four digs.
The Rams return to action on Tuesday when they host Shippensburg at 6 p.m.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Shepherd, Bloomsburg tie
BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – Shepherd and host Bloomsburg flashed a glimmer while both teams are nationally ranked on Saturday.
Bloomsburg’s Viktorya Lukenbach scored late in the match to lift the No. 21 Huskies to a 2-2 tie with the No. 24-rated Rams.
Anaya Lozano scored on a pass from Lydia Gable at the 13:05 mark to give the Rams (3-0-3, 2-0-3 PSAC East) a 1-0 lead at the break.
Bloomsburg (5-1-2, 2-1-2 PSAC East) tied the game when Haley Bull scored on an assist from Viktorya Lukenbach at the 48:00 mark.
The Rams regained the lead on Reagan Ackermann’s goal off a pass from Merritt Delk (at the 72:23 mark.
Lukenbach forged the final tie on a unassisted goal at the 86:30 mark.
Shepherd had a 23-7 advantage in shots and a 10-2 edge in shots on goal. The Rams had a 10-2 advantage in corner kicks.
COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY
Shepherd men finish fifth at Don Cathcart Invitational
SALISBURY, Md. – Logan Feeg led the way for Shepherd University to take fifth at the eight-team field at the Don Cathcart Invitational on Saturday. The Rams also had four members of their women’s team run in the race.
The men finished with 168 points in the 5K race as Feeg finished in 37th with a time of 28:10.10.
He was followed by Parker Mackey (31st, 28:52.10), Jackson Fiolek (34th,30:12.50), Mason Ratke (36th, 30:16:60) and Nick Yankle (41st, 34:39.40).
For the women, Riley Staub finished 39th with a time of 25:08.50. She was followed by Zoe Boyd (52nd, 25:55.00), Aubrey Fernandez (57th,26:30.60), and Gabrielle Thompson Servant (82nd/35:03.50).
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Oakdale 3, South Hagerstown 1
Reilly Foley collected 27 digs and Molly Pollak carded 25 assists on Thursday as Oakdale defeated South Hagerstown 25-22, 17-25, 25-23, 25-20.
Malea Moore stuffed the stat sheet for South with nine kills, three aces, 17 digs and a block. Aubrey Socks added 12 assists, five aces, nine digs and Isidora McCarty had seven kills, eight digs and two aces.
Carson Lehman had eight kills and two blocks for the Rebels, while Tenley Yost added six kills and three blocks.
