SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Susquehanna University football team ventured out of the region to celebrate their first road game of the 2024 season during Saturday's Week 4 matchup against Western New England with a 34-21 victory. They wrap up their non-conference season at 3-1 after coming into Saturday ranked ninth and tenth from D3football.com and AFCA, respectively. The River Hawks made it work with a balanced attack and almost identical numbers with 202 yards on the ground and 205 yards passing.

Quarterback Josh Ehrlich threw for every one of those passing yards in another hallmark day, completing 23-of-29 with two touchdown passes and running for another. He netted a game-high 91 yards rushing on nine carries, an average of 10.1 yards per carry. Ehrlich helped carry out the team's first three touchdowns, scoring the first on a two-yard run for an early 7-0 lead halfway through the first quarter. After a WNE touchdown on its ensuing drive tied it up at seven, the River Hawks went to the air as Ehrlich found Kyle Howes deep down the left side for a 40-yard touchdown connection to regain the lead to end the first quarter up 14-7. The River Hawks began the second quarter adding to their lead when at the Golden Bears' three yard line Ehrlich found running back Tommy Grabowski in the endzone and take a 21-7 lead with just over ten minutes left before halftime.

After a series of scoreless drives Susquehanna got a grip on the game to go up by three touchdowns just before the end of the half. With Western New England backed up on its own 18 yard line the defense posted perhaps its most impressive three-and-out thus far this season. After a six-yard completion on first down linebacker Drew Robinson sacked quarterback Brady Lafferty for a three-yard loss, then on the next play the River Hawks produced another sack, this time from Brian Layton and Josh Buck, to force WNE to punt from its own 12 yard line. The ensuing punt sputtered just 19 yards to the Golden Bears' 31, giving Susquehanna a prime opportunity with 1:50 left in the half. At the four yard line rookie back Rahshan La Mons picked up his sixth touchdown of the season with a four-yard run to make it 28-7 with 47 seconds left. Any three-touchdown lead notions at halftime where quickly dispelled, however, as WNE closed out the half with Lafferty connecting with Tyler Borwhat from 14 yards out as the clock expired to cut the lead down to 28-14.

Susquehanna began the second half with the ball and a prime opportunity when the second-half kickoff went out of bounds to set up shop at its own 40. It took not even two-and-a-half minutes to seize on this mishap as La Mons had another big touchdown rush in him from 40 yards out to open up a 34-14 lead. It would be the River Hawks' last touchdown of the day, though the defense made it stand. In all the defensive unit allowed just 70 rushing yards and getting to Lafferty four times on sacks. The pass-happy Lafferty did throw for 289 yards in a 28-of-42 afternoon for three touchdowns, eventually finding Greg Perry for a three-yard touchdown strike early in the fourth quarter. The River Hawks made their lead stand with a pair of clock-bleeding drives, only giving the ball back to the Golden Bears one more time, which the defense prevailed upon a turnover on downs with their last sack of the day, courtesy of Robinson and Layton on a fourth and three.

La Mons finished the day netting 88 yards on 16 carries, an average of 5.5 yards per touch. Howes led the team catching six passes for 46 yards, while Bookter led with 51 yards receiving on four receptions. Tight end Rowan Hershey was SU's next best ground gainer through the air with 43 yards on three catches, while wideout Hunter Morgenroth had 23 yards receiving on three looks. On the other side of the ball linebacker Garrett Carter led with 12 total tackles, including four solo and one for loss, while Andrew Wells led with five solo tackles on ten total tackles. Layton's good work on the sack exchange was met with eight total tackles and one solo tackle with one quarterback hurry. Robinson finished with six total tackles.

Historically speaking, Susquehanna Football logged its 496th career win on Saturday to put them in striking distance of the 500-win milestone entering the Landmark Conference season. They look to add to that mark in next week's conference season opener at Catholic on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m.