Cheyney, Pa. - Millersville football scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams in Saturday's 34-12 road win over Cheyney.
David Coates broke an early 6-6 tie by returning a second quarter kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. In the process, Coates set a NCAA career record with his 134th kick return and became the second player to ecplise 3,000 career return yards.
Mike Reichenbach hauled in his third career touchdown catch three seconds before the end of the first half capping a 17-point second quarter. Millersville (1-9, 1-8 PSAC) pulled away in the fourth quarter using a TD run from
Myron Myles and a 17-yard fumble return from defensive lineman
Neil Moloney.
The Marauders totaled 370 yards of offense, its second-best total of the season. The offense received a lift from the return of
Matt Misley, who missed the better part of the last two games with an injury. Misley completed 24-of-34 passes for 223 yards and added 71 yards rushing on 11 totes. Myles led the team with 74 yards rushing on 17 carries. Freshman
Kevin Wiggins made a career-high nine catches, and classmate
Malont'a Patterson caught six balls for 71 yards.
The Marauder defense made its share of plays as well. Cornerback
Joey Pham was credited with a eight pass breakups, coming within one of the NCAA Division II record.
Sene Polamalu,
Aaron Walker,
Sean Dugan and
Matt Brinser all had a hand in a sack. Walker forced the fumble that led to Moloney's defensive touchdown, which was Millersville's second of the season.
P.J. Santos made a key interception in the second quarter, picking off Dominick Trautz in the end zone late in the second quarter when the score stood at 13-6.
Evan Stahl booted field goals on each of Millersville's first two offensive possessions to give the Marauders a 6-0 lead. The drives consumed 27 plays and more than 14 minutes of game clock. Cheyney tied the game with a quick strike drive that included a 74-yard run from Trautz. Coates provided the answer, though. His 85-yard TD return was the second kick return touchdown of his career and first since 2012. Santos' interception gave Millersville control with just over a minute left in the half. The Marauders marched 80 yards on four Misley completions for a score with two seconds remaining. Reichenbach's catch came from seven yards.
Cheyney pulled within 20-12 on a seven-play, 62-yard drive early in the third. Millersville put the game out of reach with an epic drive, though. Taking over on its own five at the end of the third quarter, the Marauders used 17 plays, 8:59 of the game clock and traveled 95 yards, mostly using the legs of Myles. Myles received 10 of his 17 carries on the drive, and he capped it with a 14-yard jaunt up the sideline.
The Millersville defense took control from there, turning Cheyney over on downs and then getting the defensive score to put the win away.
Millersville closes its 2014 season on the road at Edinboro on Nov. 15.
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