Millersville hangs tough against No. 15 Shepherd but falls short

Saturday, October 16

Millersville, PA

2:00 PM

Millersville University

2-5 , 1-3

Shepherd

6-1 , 5-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Shepherd

Millersville

Photo by: Mark Palczewski

Millersville hangs tough against No. 15 Shepherd but falls short

10/16/2021 7:29:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Millersville gave No. 15 Shepherd quite a scare early and frustrated the nation's top-ranked passer all afternoon with three interceptions and three sacks, but despite a special teams touchdown in the first quarter, the Marauders could not keep pace and fell 38-13 at a rain soaked Biemesderfer Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Shepherd (6-1, 3-1 PSAC East) entered the day ranked No. 2 in Division II in scoring offense, total offense and passing offense, and quarterback Tyson Bagent, who led the nation in passing in 2019, was in that spot again. But the Marauder defense gave Bagent and his receivers fits. D'Andre Blue-Eli, Christian Martir and Steve Sweeney all picked off passes, doubling Bagent's interception total for the previous six games. Bagent had also been sacked just three times entering the day, but the Marauders got to him as many times in just 32 dropbacks.

Yet even while holding the Rams to nearly 200 yards under their season average in passing, the Marauders made crucial errors with the ball, losing a fumble on a punt just before the half that resulted in a Shepherd field goal, throwing an interception on the opening play of the second half that turned into seven Shepherd points, and losing a fumble on the Shepherd 2 yard line. The miscues and managing just 2.6 yards per play with eight three-and-outs and 12 punts and two turnovers in the game's first 14 possessions kept Millersville from keeping pace with the high-powered Rams' offense.

With an inability to utilize its usually potent passing game, Shepherd turned to the run, especially in the second half. The Rams ran the ball a season-high 56 times with Ronnie Brown rushing for a season-high 185 yards. Brown himself out-gained the entire Millersville offense.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Millersville forced Shepherd into three-and-outs on each of the first four drives of the game, and on the second, Millersville's special teams came up big. A low snap to punter Ryan Barrick provided some extra time for the Millersville punt rush. Tyler Monto stuffed Barrick's punt, and the loose ball rolled into the end zone where a hustling Randy Okungu dove on it for a Millersville touchdown. Millersville, however, would not find the end zone again until time expired in the fourth quarter.
• In the opening minutes of the second quarter, Shepherd took advantage of positive field position, starting at the Millersville 40. After a penalty pushed Shepherd back, Bagent connected with Josh Polce for a 44-yard catch-and-run that resulted in a touchdown and a tied game. Later in the second quarter, Brown caught a pass for 44 yards and added a rush for 39, and Chantz Swartz capped the drive with a one-yard run.
• With just two minutes remaining in the first half, Millersville backed up Shepherd deep in its own territory and forced a punt. The punt landed at the Millersville 41, but catch was muffed. Shepherd recovered and after seven plays, Hayden August-Scriven booted a 32-yard field goal. The turnover bug bit the Marauders again to start the second half. Ponce DeLeon read Millerville quarterback Cole Klayman and jumped in front of a swing pass for an interception. His return put the Rams at the Millersville 14, and three Swartz runs gave Shepherd a 24-7 lead.
• Shepherd scored twice more before the Marauders closed the game with a Klayman 38-yard TD pass to T'iar Young.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Klayman went 17-for-39 for 128 yards. Christan Drayton III led Millersville with four catches.
• Isaiah Onuschak and Tyler Tate both finished with one sack. Tate was in on two half-sacks with Christian Shepperson and Chase Alisauckas.

NOTES
• Young recorded two catches in the last two weeks--both of them for touchdowns.
• Sweeney's interception was his team-high third of the season. Blue-Eli now has two and Martir's was his first of the year.
• Millersville has scored twice on punt blocks this season.

UP NEXT
• Millersville travels to Shippensburg on Saturday, Oct. 23.