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SLIPPERY ROCK - Isiah Neely ran for 152 yards to lead No. 21-ranked Slippery Rock's rushing game as East Stroudsburg University fell, 34-9, on Saturday night at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

Shamar Greene, a 2014 Harlon Hill candidate, ran for 130 yards before leaving due to injury in the second quarter. The Rock ran for 414 yards on 63 carries and gained 577 yards of total offense.

Redshirt senior quarterback Matt Soltes was 18-for-44 for 236 yards, one touchdown and one interception for ESU (0-2). Redshirt senior wide receiver Jon Schnaars had seven catches for 128 yards and an eight-yard TD in the fourth quarter.

Redshirt junior tailback Robert Healy added 83 rushing yards and 25 receiving yards for the Warriors.

The NCAA Division II Showcase Game of the Week, televised on the American Sports Network and online through ncaa.com, was the first of five scheduled meetings in 2015 between 2014 Harlon Hill candidates in Soltes and Greene.

It also featured the two active career wins leaders in the PSAC in ESU head coach Denny Douds (250 career wins - PSAC record) and SRU's George Mihalik (187 wins - 4th in PSAC history). Douds (class of 1963) and Mihalik (1974) are both SRU graduates.

Slippery Rock led 17-3 at halftime after the Warriors scored on their first possession. Freshman kicker Nicolas Ruiz made a 23-yard field goal after Healy had a 55-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage.

ESU led 3-0 at the end of the first quarter, but the Rock scored 17 to close the half and added a TD on its first drive of the second half.

Soltes and Schnaars cut ESU's deficit to 24-9 with 6:12 remaining before Neely had a 30-yard TD run to close the scoring.

Dante Nania was 14-for-32 for one TD and three interceptions for Slippery Rock.

Sophomore free safety Chase May had two interceptions and senior cornerback Jimmy Myers added a pick for ESU.

The Warriors held Slippery Rock to 4-for-16 on third down conversions but were just 3-for-18 themselves on a windy, rainy night.

ESU hosts Edinboro on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. at Eiler-Martin Stadium.


GAME NOTES
* Douds was on the sidelines for his 499th career game at ESU (431 as head coach since 1974, 68 as an assistant from 1966-73).
* SRU improved to 10-3 all-time against Douds. Mihalik improved to 9-2 against Douds.
* SRU leads the all-time series, 13-3.

* Slippery Rock is the defending PSAC champion and has won 2 straight PSAC West regular season titles. The Rock won last year's game, 56-24.
* ESU is 10-22 vs. AFCA ranked opponents since 2000. The Warriors have dropped their last 12 vs. ranked opponents since a 14-11 win vs. #25 Virginia Union in the 2008 season opener.

* Soltes moved into a tie for 10th in PSAC history in career TD passes (86) and career TD responsible for (92).
* He moved into 6th in career total offense (10,516) and ranks 11th in career passing yards (9,227).
* He ranks 2nd in ESU history in every major statistical category behind Jimmy Terwilliger (2003-06).

* Healy went over the 3,000-yard mark in career yards from scrimmage (3,030 - 4th in ESU history) in his 24th game. He is the PSAC active career leader in yards from scrimmage per game (126.3).
* Healy had 211 yards from scrimmage (90 rushing, 121 receiving) in last week's 41-40 loss vs. LIU Post.
* He has 100+ yards from scrimmage in 19 of 24 career games.
* He moved into 6th at ESU in career rushing yards (2,119).

* Schnaars had his 9th career 100-yard receiving game and 2nd straight to open the 2015 season (6 catches, 120 yards vs. LIU Post).
* He became the 12th ESU player with 2,000 career receiving yards (2,085), ranking 11th in school history.
* He ranks 9th in career receptions (138) and t-5th in career receiving TD (24).

* Fr. TB James Bell had 4 catches for 28 yards, and Jr. FB Sean Roth had 2 catches for 32 yards (first career receptions for both).

* May (2) and Myers (1) both had their first career interceptions.
* ESU's defense forced 2 turnovers on downs inside the 5-yard line in the 1st quarter and had 4 takeaways (3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery).

* May (FS), Fr. DE Joseph Odebode and Roth (FB) all made their 1st career starts.