EAST STROUDSBURG – The East Stroudsburg University football team dropped a 35-10 decision at the hands of Shippensburg on Saturday night at Eiler-Martin Stadium.

Rece Bender led the Warriors in receiving for the third straight game, hauling in four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. Bender has now found the end zone in three straight games and has five total touchdowns on the year.

Quarterback Jake Cirillo went 11-of-21 in the game with 85 yards passing and led the team in rushing with 54 yards on nine carries. Ben Moser took over under center late in the contest and went 5-of-6 for 70 yards and a touchdown.

On the defensive side for the Warriors, Justin Johnson posted a team-high eight tackles and pulled down an interception for ESU's lone forced turnover of the game. Deshawn McCarthy added seven tackles and two sacks.

For Shippensburg, Brycen Mussina went 21-for-33 in the air with 350 yards and three touchdowns. Sean Judge pulled down all three of Mussina's touchdown throws, and registered 93 yards receiving on six catches. David Balint led the team with eight receptions and 115 yards. On the ground, Luke Durkin tallied 93 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 16 carries.

The Red Raiders tallied the lone score of the opening quarter as Mussina hooked up with Judge for the first of three scores that the duo would connect on in the game. Mussina hit Judge with a 13-yard pass to cap off a nine-play, 62-yard drive.

Mussina found Judge once again early in the second quarter, this time on a 12-yard score, to make it 14-0 Shippensburg with 14:54 on the clock in the second.

The Warriors responded with their first points of the game on the next drive, as they drove 57 yards on nine plays before kicker Jordan Walters knocked one through the uprights for a 36-yard field goal to make it a 14-3 game.

Shippensburg added to its advantage early in the third quarter as Durkin punched in his first of two touchdowns from three yards out, padding the lead to 21-3 at the 10:43 mark of the third.

The Red Raiders notched two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, a six-yard pass from Mussina to Judge and a three-yard run from Durkin, to grab their largest lead of the game at 35-3.

ESU got the final score of the game with 7:05 remaining as Moser found Bender in the corner of the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown.

Shippensburg improved to 4-6 on the year and 4-3 in conference play with the win, while ESU evened up to 5-5 overall and 2-5 in the PSAC East.

The Warriors close out the regular season next Saturday, November 16 as they host Clarion on Senior Day with action starting at 1:05 p.m.