Lock Haven, Pa. - One week after blanking East Stroudsburg for three quarters, the Millersville defense nearly pulled off shutout Saturday at Lock Haven. Millersville intercepted four passes, including two by Ray Lopez, and held Lock Haven scoreless until the fourth quarter in a 24-6 PSAC East road win.
 
It was a bend-but-don't-break performance for the Marauders. Lock Haven held a slight 356-344 advantage in yards, but the Marauders took the ball away from Lock Haven inside Millersville territory five times. Zac Button's second quarter INT came in the end zone. As time ticked away before halftime, Trejon Dinkins pounced on a fumble at the Millersville 3. Nolan Kilpatrick ended a third quarter drive at the Millersville 24. The Marauders also turned the Bald Eagles over on downs twice inside the Millersville 40.
 
"We knew going into the game that Lock Haven had the ability to move the ball," said Millersville head coach J.C. Morgan. "They had moments in each game where they showed the ability to move the ball, and they had played a tough schedule. The idea was to force them to drive the whole field and make plays when it counted."
 
Lock Haven didn't crack the scoring column until there was 4:53 left in the game, giving the Millersville defense more than six consecutive quarters of shutout football. The 16 combined points are the fewest allowed by Millersville in back-to-back games since September of 2007.
 
"We set a goal for our guys this week," said Morgan. "We haven't gotten on to the field well defensively, giving up points on the first drive in five games in a row. I just think they are a group that gets more comfortable as the game goes on. We are well-conditioned as a team. As the game goes on we have a chance to wear our opponents down."
 
Millersville also picked off four passes for the first time since the 2015 season opener. Lopez has four interceptions in the last three games. 
 
"(Lopez) is a great athlete with great length," said Morgan. "He has great football savvy. He finds a way to get himself in the right place at the right time. We did not have him the first two weeks. To get him back in the lineup has been a big spark for our secondary."
 
Quarterback Collin Shank returned to the lineup after sitting out last week's win, and he shook off interceptions on each of the first two drives to go 21 for 30 for 241 yards and a touchdown. Xavier Jenkins was on the receiving end of seven of those completions as well as the touchdown, giving him a new career high in catches and his first touchdown of the season.
 
"We stuck with the game plan," said Morgan. "He settled down. The one thing about him is that he is never too high or never too low. At that position, that's big. When he makes mistakes he keeps attacking. He made some nice throws as the game went on."
 
While Shank recovered from his early mistakes, Lock Haven did not. The first three Lock Haven possessions ended as a turnover on downs, interception and interception. It was after Button's leaping pick in the back left corner of the end zone that Shank started to find his rhythm. Millersville traveled 80 yards in nine plays with Shank going 4 for 5 on the drive and converting two third downs.
 
Joey Farley booted a 38-yard field goal with 2:20 left in the second quarter to give the Marauders a 10-0 lead, but Lock Haven threatened just before the half. Lock Haven chipped its way to the Millersville 34, and on the final play of the half, Cameron Tobias connected with Bryan Greene, but just three yards from the end zone, the ball was stripped away and Dinkins recovered, preserving Millersville's 10-point lead.
 
Shank started the third quarter with five consecutive completions, piloting a 12-play, 71-yard drive that culminated in a two-yard toss to Jenkins. The Millersville defense turned over Lock Haven on the next two possessions, and Millersville's lead grew to 24 points when Lopez returned an interception to the Lock Haven 19 and Kobe Miranda plunged in from one yard out five plays later.
 
Millersville set season highs in both points and first downs. Tyrone Gibson led the Millersville ground game with a season-high 73 yards on 12 carries. 45 of those yards came on the final drive as Millersville drained nearly five minutes off the clock.
 
Playing against his former team, Button totaled a team-high nine tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception. Tommy Halloway recorded a sack for the third consecutive game, and Morgan Faughnan notched his second sack of the season.

UP NEXT
It is a homecoming of sorts for both Millersville and Coach Morgan on Saturday, Oct. 13. Morgan faces his former team, Shippensburg, for the first time as Millersville's head coach, and it is the annual Homecoming game for the Marauders. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.