WEST CHESTER, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University football team gave 12th-ranked West Chester University everything it could handle on Saturday afternoon, but the upset bid fell just short as the Huskies dropped a 20-17 decision to the Golden Rams in front of nearly 6,500 fans at Farrell Stadium. Bloomsburg has now dropped four straight to fall to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division standings. West Chester, meanwhile, improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in divisional play.

The Huskies had an opportunity to tie or take the lead as Bloomsburg got the ball following a huge defensive stop with 2:14 left in regulation trailing by three. Starting from its own nine-yard line, Bloomsburg converted three first downs to get to its own 44-yard line before the Golden Rams took a timeout with 38 seconds left. Following the stoppage, redshirt freshman quarterback Logan Leiby (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) ran 21 yards to the West Chester 35 but the gain was negated by an offensive penalty to move the ball back to the Bloomsburg 34. Two plays later, West Chester gave the Huskies life with a defensive pass interference penalty to put the ball at the Bloomsburg 49 with 15 seconds left. After an incomplete pass, West Chester's Jackson Taylor strip-sacked Leiby and the Golden Rams recovered the fumble as time expired ending the contest and allowing the hosts to escape with a three-point victory.

Statistically, the Huskies had their best game of the season on offense as they totaled a season-high 294 yards and a season-best 20 first downs on the afternoon against a stout West Chester defense. Bloomsburg finished with 161 yards on the ground - also a season high. The Golden Rams finished with 396 yards of total offense and used the big play on two of their three touchdowns to lead them to victory.

Redshirt junior Nyfease West (Philadelphia, Pa./North Penn) had his best day in a Bloomsburg uniform as he led the Huskies with 14 carries for 67 yards and then added six receptions for 38 yards out of the backfield for a total of 105 yards on the afternoon. Redshirt sophomore Khalil Nelson (Philadelphia, Pa./Mastery Charter Thomas) added 46 yards rushing and a touchdown on 10 carries while Leiby finished with 46 yards rushing and a score on 14 carries. The redshirt freshman quarterback finished 13-of-25 passing for 133 yards and one interception. He was also sacked five times on the day and has now been sacked 27 times on the season. Senior Michael Allen (Oley, Pa./Fleetwood) had two catches for 31 yards while redshirt freshman Tristan Blasko (Coaldale, Pa./Panther Valley) also hauled in a pair of passes for 14 yards.

Following a scoreless first quarter, the Huskies struck first when Leiby called his own number and scampered into the endzone from 12 yards out to cap off a nine-play, 67-yard drive that took 5:21 off the clock. Sophomore Cameron Shollenberger (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove Area) booted the point after to give Bloomsburg a 7-0 lead with 6:59 left in the opening half.

The Golden Rams responded on their ensuing possession as Mike Piperno found Elijah Hall for a six-yard touchdown reception to pull West Chester to within one, 7-6. Andrew Chegia missed the extra point as it hit the right upright and the Huskies took a 7-6 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The hosts took their first lead of the afternoon as Seth Degree hauled in a pass from Piperno and took it to the house from 80 yards away as West Chester took a 13-7 lead after Chegia booted the extra point with 11:32 left in the third. Bloomsburg answered with a nine-play, 64-yard drive on its next possession but eventually stalled at the Golden Rams eight-yard line as the Huskies had to settle for a 25-yard field goal from Shollenberger to cut the deficit to 13-10 with 6:48 left in the third quarter.

West Chester drove down field on its next drive but redshirt sophomore Cameron Young (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia) picked off Piperno in the endzone to keep the Golden Rams off the scoreboard. The Huskies, however, went three-and-out on their possession and West Chester took advantage as Piperno dropped in a 40-yard pass to Dan Neuhaus up the right sideline for another long touchdown pass. Chegia hit the point after to extend the Golden Rams' lead to 20-10 with 54 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Huskies answered with a seven-play, 86-yard drive that Nelson capped off with a five-yard touchdown run and, after Shollenberger nailed the extra point, Bloomsburg trailed 20-17 with 9:10 left in regulation. The score was set up by a pair of long completions - one to redshirt freshman Steven Arrington (Bensalem, Pa./Father Judge) for 42 yards and the other to Allen for 25 yards.

That, unfortunately, would be as close as the Huskies would get.

Ja'Den McKenzie led West Chester with 89 yards rushing on 19 carries. Piperno finished 12-of-21 for 228 yards and three touchdowns but was also picked off twice. Three receivers - Degree (93), Neuhaus (80), and Lex Rosario (75) - finished with at least 75 yards receiving on the afternoon.

Defensively, redshirt sophomore Chris Monaco (Pocono Pines, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) had a strong game as he led the Huskies with nine total tackles (six solo), one tackle for a loss, and one interception. Senior Alex Annan (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) had eight stops and a tackle for a loss while Young had seven tackles and a pick. Cole Zapf led West Chester with nine total stops and a sack. Ch'aim Smith had five tackles, three tackles for a loss, and two-and-a-half sacks.

Bloomsburg will head to East Stroudsburg on Saturday, October 19 for a PSAC East contest. Opening kickoff is slated for 2:05 p.m.