SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The 18th ranked Slippery Rock University football team produced one of the most dominant performances in program history Saturday night with a 75-0 shutout over Millersville University in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover action from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
 
After a lightning delay pushed kickoff back just over an hour Slippery Rock (3-0) wasted little time in asserting its dominance, recording a safety on Millersville's first possession and putting up 16 points in the first quarter.
 
Millersville (0-3) was never able to get things going and finished the game with just 38 yards of total offense on 62 plays. The Marauders managed negative 52 rushing yards thanks to eight sacks from The Rock defense and threw for a total of 90 yards.
 
Slippery Rock was overpowering in all three phases. The offense put up 366 rushing yards on 48 carries for an average of 7.6 yards per carry. The Rock added 187 passing yards to finish with 553 yards of offense on 67 plays. Entering Saturday night's game SRU hadn't run less than 95 plays in either of the first two games of the season.
 
The defense scored 16 points in the game, beginning with the safety in the first quarter when Bob Vernick and Teven Williams recorded a tackle in the end zone and culminating with two touchdowns just 13 seconds apart in the fourth quarter. First Erik Johnson recovered a fumble and returned it 45 yards for a score. On the next offensive play for Millersville Bishop Gethers batted a pass down at the line of scrimmage and TJ Matrascia caught it in the air and took it 28 yards for a TD.
 
The special teams play was just as good, with Mike Wainauskis booting a 23-yard field goal and going a perfect 10-for-10 in extra point tries. Andrew Huska was also outstanding with three punts for an average of 47.0 yards, a career-high. He also averaged 61.8 yards per kickoff and managed five touchbacks.
 
Dominic Dingle rushed for a career-high 164 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries, an average of 13.7 yards per carry. Julian Durden started the game and rushed for a career-high 111 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries, almost all in the first half. Isiah Neely added 88 yards and one touchdown on just nine carries.
 
Quarterback Dante Nania was hit with another tough night to throw the football with heavy rain and wind in the first half, but the rain stopped in the third quarter and Nania was able to show a glimpse of what he can do. He completed 11-of-15 passes for 192 yards with two touchdowns, both deep passes into tight windows, and was not intercepted once.
 
Cornelius Raye caught four passes for 65 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown. Jaimire Dutrieuille caught three passes for 59 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown that moved him up to 10th on the career receiving TD list in Rock history with 13. Durden added one 28-yard reception and Tavarus Sample recorded his first career reception, a 27-yarder.
 
The Rock defense recorded 8.0 sacks, 16.0 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and one interception on the night.
 
Marcus Martin led the way along the line with eight total tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2.0 tackles for loss. His sacks moved him up to ninth on the career sack ledger at SRU after just one season and three games with 17.5.
 
Vernick led the linebackers with seven total tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. Williams recorded six tackles and 0.5 for loss. Tony Twillie II registered 1.5 tackles for loss and Joe Phillips recorded 1.0 sacks and 2.0 tackles for loss. Cody Conway, Mike Grata and Gethers all recorded one solo sack. Grata and Gethers also forced one fumble each.
 
Slippery Rock's 75 points, the sixth most in program history, were the most the team has scored since the final home game of the 1973 season, when George Mihalik was the team's starting quarterback and The Rock defeated Lock Haven 76-0.
 
The Rock will hit the road for the next two weeks with trips to Seton Hill Sept. 26 and Gannon Oct. 3.
 
 
NOTES: Slippery Rock recorded the first team shutout since a 54-0 victory over Cheyney Sept. 10, 2011 … The 75 points were the most the team has scored since Mihalik's last home game as QB, a 76-0 win over Lock Haven in 1973 … The 75 points are the sixth most scored in a single-game in program history … Marcus Martin moved up to ninth on the career sacks list with 17.5 … Jaimire Dutrieuille moved up to 10th on the career receiving TD list with 13 … Dutrieuille now has 134 receptions and is three away from tying Colin Golden (2004-07) for third on the all-time list at SRU … He also moved up to sixth in all-time receiving yards with 1,685 … Mike Wainauskis moved up to eighth on the career FG ledger with his 18th made FG … He has now made 119 extra points and is closing in on CJ Bahr (137) for No. 2 all-time at SRU … Slippery Rock has won the last seven games against Millersville … George Mihalik picked up career win No. 188 … Slippery Rock improved to 25-4 at home since the beginning of 2010 and has won 12 straight home games … The Rock are now 25-9 at home in night games since lights were installed in 2003 … The Rock have won their last six night games and 14 of the last 15 night games … the 32nd annual Athletic Hall of Fame class was inducted before the game and honored at halftime … Class information available HERE.