Box Score

Millersville, Pa. - One year ago, Millersville stole the season-opener from Assumption with a late interception. But on Saturday at Chryst Field at Biemesderfer Stadium, Assumption turned the tables on the Marauders when David Canney made a diving, 19-yard touchdown catch with 16 seconds left, lifting the visitors to an improbable 33-28 win.

Millersville quarterback Bill Shirk completed 22-of-32 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns including one to redshirt freshman Dominic Sanders that gave Millersville a 28-27 edge with 7:27 left in the game. Assumption quarterback Andrew Kupec, however, answered Shirk's 10-play drive with 15-play, 67-yard drive that chewed up all by 16 seconds of the clock. The strike to Canney--one of 14 times they hooked up on the day--sealed Millersville's fate. The final Assumption drive included two fourth-down conversions--the second of which came on a defensive pass interference call at the Millersville 10-yard line.

A short kickoff by Assumption afforded the Marauders a shot at a miracle score. Shirk's first pass fell incomplete, but he found sophomore Mike Jones for 39 yards on the next snap, but before Jones could get to the turf and call timeout, the clock expired.

Millersville out-gained the Greyhounds 398 to 348 in total offense, and Jamal Smith totaled 109 receiving yards on a career-high nine catches. Junior Matt Egenrieder also eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career, and it was his 87-yard touchdown catch—the second longest in school history—in the second quarter that jump-started a sluggish Marauder offense and closed the gap on an Assumption squad that appeared to be pulling away.

Millersville struck first with a 27-yard field goal from Anthony Kassab, but the Greyhounds, using the legs of 2009 NE-10 Player of the Year Herb Woodard, consumed more than 11 minutes of clock in the first quarter, and Woodard scored twice in a five minute span at the start of the second to give Assumption a 14-3 lead. Shirk's bomb to Egenrieder came on the next drive, but again, Woodard capped a 10-play, 60-yard drive with 2:51 left in the half to build Assumption's advantage to 21-9.

Shirk's aerial attack helped the Marauders creep to within five by perfectly executing the two-minute offense. After a first-play sack, Shirk completed 9-of-11 passes, guiding Millersville 80 yards to pay dirt on Greg Frantz's two-yard TD grab.

Millersville needed its defense to make a second-half stand, and it did just that. A blocked punt on Millersville's first offensive possession gave Assumption the ball at the Millersville 16-yard line. But the defense dug in and allowed only a field goal. Millersville managed to pin Assumption deep twice on punts by Jeff Lawson, and on the final possession of the third quarter, Shane Gross, who finished the game with 11 tackles, came off the edge, sacked Kupec and jarred the ball loose. Sophomore Zack Riley quickly scooped up the fumble and dove across the goal line for an unconventional score that reduced the deficit to 24-22.

A 26-yard Woodard run and Millersville personal foul put the Greyhounds in scoring position again, but they could manage only a field goal. Millersville took advantage by driving 67 yards on the ensuing possession for the go-ahead touchdown.

Assumptions final drive started on its own 33-yard line, and Kupec completed 7-of-11 passes to propel the Greyhounds to the winning score. Kupec finished with 218 yards on 25-of-36 passing. Woodard racked up 131 yards and three scores on 28 carries. Canney recorded 143 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Marauders were led by Matt Sutjak's 13 tackles. Pat Maloney registered a career-high 10 tackles.

The Assumption victory evened the all-time series at one win apiece. Millersville won the 2009 meeting by a 31-28 score. Millersville is just 3-8 in season openers since 2003.

With his 310-yard performance, Shirk passed Mike Burke for seventh in career passing yards.

Millersville, which opens the season with five-straight home games, continues the home stand Saturday, Sept. 11 against Lock Haven. Game time is 1 p.m.