SLIPPERY ROCK — It’s not how you start, but how you finish?

Not in this case.

Slippery Rock University scored four touchdowns in the first nine minutes Saturday afternoon at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium, then held serve the rest of the way for a 35-7 college football victory over Lock Haven.

The loss was the 52nd in a row for the Bald Eagles, the longest skid in NCAA Division II history and the longest current slide in all of college football.

The win was hard for Rock coach George Mihalik to get excited about.

“We came out definitely ready to play. We jumped on them and were making plays on both sides of the ball,” Mihalik said.

“Our defense played well all day. Our offense lost focus, concentration, went through the motions. ... That can’t happen.”

Jeff Thompson recovered a Brandon Brader fumble at the Bald Eagles’ 38-yard line to end the game’s first possession. Four players later, Nigel Barksdale found Jaimire Dutrieuille for a 16-yard touchdown pass,

Moments later, Derek Morgan intercepted a deep sideline pass and returned it 28 yards to the Lock Haven 30. Robert Joyce caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Barksdale on a fourth-and-3 play shortly thereafter.

“The ball was thrown high and hung up there for a while,” Morgan said. “I had time to get under it and make the play. I’m just glad I didn’t drop it.”

The Rock (6-4, 5-2) completed a 10-play, 47-yard drive on its next possession as Barksdale found Ken Amos for a 26-yard TD strike. The quarterback then hit John Schademan for a 54-yard bomb and a score on the first play of SRU’s next possession.

With 6:25 left in the first quarter, Barksdale had completed 10-of-14 passes for 166 yards and four TDs. He completed just 4-of-14 for 12 yards and two interceptions the rest of the game.

After Lock Haven fell behind 28-0, coach John Allen talked to his entire team on the sidelines.

“I told them they were playing like the Lock Haven of old and I wasn’t going to have it,” Allen said. “They refocused and I was very pleased with the way they played the rest of the day.”

While the Bald Eagles (0-10, 0-7) played evenly with The Rock the rest of the day, they did miss scoring chances. Freshman Alex Boumerhi kicked wide on field goal attempts of 47, 34 and 45 yards.

Lock Haven also turned the ball over on downs at SRU’s 7- and 29-yard lines in the second half.

“We didn’t finish. That’s growing pains. That’s a step we still need to take,” Allen said.

“Our defense bailed us out today,” Mihalik said. “Offensively, we still had the same players on the field, still running the same plays that worked so well earlier.

“This game shows what happens when you don’t play with emotion for 60 minutes.”

Barksdale injured his knee early in the fourth quarter and likely will not play in the team’s finale Saturday against Bloomsburg.

Notes: The Rock has won four straight games and is 9-1 at home over the past two seasons. ... SRU finished third in the PSAC West, behind co-champions Indiana and Mercyhurst. ... The Rock’s 16 pass completions Saturday were to nine different players, including Barksdale. ... Jack Charles paced SRU with 10 tackles. ... Rock safety Isaiah Coleman was ejected from the game after being whistled for a flagrant personal foul late in the first half.

SRU 35, Lock Haven 7

Lock Haven 0 7 0 0 — 7

Slippery Rock 28 7 0 0 — 35

LH SRU

15 First Downs 20

37-63 Rushes-Yards 37-229

155 Passing Yards 195

15-34-1 Comp.-Att.-Int 16-32-2

218 Total Yards 424

1-1 Fumbles-Lost 1-1

6-45 Penalty Yards 9-90

First Quarter

SRU — Jaimire Dutrieuille 16 pass from Nigel Barksdale (Kurt Brackman kick), 13:02

SRU — Robert Joyce 23 pass from Barksdale (Brackman kick), 10:45

SRU — Ken Amos 26 pass from Barksdale (Brtackman kick), 6:35

SRU — John Schademan 65 pass from Barksdale (Brackman kick), 6:25

Second Quarter

LH — Frankie Probst 19 pass from Jarrett Krtatzer (Noash Heimer kick), 7:03

SRU — Barksdale 4 run (Brackman kick), 4:37

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Lock Haven, Brandon Brader 25-62, Beau Swales 6-16, Arnie Taylor 1-0, Jarrett Kratzer 5-(-15). SRU, Brett Crenshaw 10-73, Akeem Satterfield 6-55, Nigel Barksdale 11-45, Jared Buck 3-37, Jaimire Dutrieuille 3-15, Jimmy Zubik 2-6, TEAM 2-(-2).

Passing: Lock Haven, Jarrett Kratzer 15-34-155-1. SRU, Nigel Barksdale 14-28-178-2, Robert Joyce 2-3-17-0, Jared Buck 0-1-0-0.

Receiving: Lock Haven, James Wilbern 3-50, Eddie Celkos 3-29, Brandon Brader 2-13, David Cook 2-11, Frankie Probst 1-19, Matt Luebbers 1-16, Jerome Charles 1-7, Beau Swales 1-5, Jesse Hoover 1-5. SRU, LaQuinn Stephens-Howling 4-33, Jimmy Zubik 3-11, Robert Joyce 2-37, Jaimire Dutrieuille 2-15, John Schademan 1-65, Ken Amos 1-26, Brett Crenshaw 1-3, Nigel Barksdale 1-3, Andrew Bridgeforth 1-2.