Box Score
MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Allegheny defense held Juniata to 157 yards of total offense and senior Andy Schleihauf recorded a game-high 10 tackles to help Gators (1-0) shut out the Eagles (0-1) 13-0 on Frank B. Fuhrer Field in non-conference football action on Saturday.
The win marks the second straight season-opening victory for Allegheny and the 52nd shut out in an opening-day game since the program began in 1893.
T. J. Salopek led the Gators in the air and on the ground, completing 16-of-28 passes for 183 yards and an interception while rushing for a team-best 34 yards. He connected with Mark Sutton on a 30-yard pass in the third quarter for the lone touchdown on the day. Sutton finished with three receptions for 45 yards.
Making his first collegiate start for Juniata, quarterback Alex Snyder finished the game 10-of-22 for 113 yards. Punter Owen Phillips got put to use with nine kicks for 372 yards, including three inside the 20 and his longest at 51 yards.
Allegheny got on the board in the first quarter off its second possession of the game. The Gators used nine plays and went 33 yards, down to the three-yard line. On third and three, the Eagles came up with a big stop and forced Ryan Zipf to kick a 20-yard field goal to make it 3-0 with 2:20 left in the first quarter.
With 55 seconds left in the first quarter, Juniata had the ball of the Allegheny 34 and was faced with4th and three. The Eagles called a time out, deciding to go for it but Sid Facaros found Snyder's blind spot for the sack and a loss of seven yards to change possessions on downs.
The Gator defense came out fierce, forcing three punts and a turnover on downs in Juniata's first four possessions. The same display continued throughout the next three quarters. After a scoreless second quarter, Allegheny only needed 35 seconds and three plays to get its first touchdown of the season and make the score 10-0.
Starting on the Juniata 41, Salopek hit Eric Mastrogiacomo for an 11-yard pass before finishing Sutton down the middle for the score.
On the next drive, the Gators started at their own two-yard line and worked all the way down the field to the Juniata two-yard line for a first-and-goal opportunity. Allegheny came up two-yards shy of a sensational drive, recording three incomplete passes and settling for its second field goal of the day by Zipf.
The Gator defense stood strong and forced the Eagles to turn the ball over on downs two more times in the remaining 18 minutes of the game. The offense had six points taken away from them after Salopek hit Terry Hartford for 49 yards only to be called back due to holding.
Juniata managed to get the furthest into Allegheny territory in the fourth quarter. Facing fourth down with the ball on the two-yard line, Greg Waples stopped Derek Kramer on the rush for no gain to keep the Gators' hopes alive for the shut out.
Allegheny finished with 183 yards of offense with Hartford being the top receiver, making four catches for 39 yards. Jermaine Mitchell joined Schleihauf with a sack on the afternoon and also tallied seven tackles, including four solo.
The Gators are back in action on Saturday against Westminster. Game time is 7 p.m. The contest will be televised live by Fox Sports Pittsburgh. It is also "Community Day" with admission free for everyone.
