MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Millersville had one last chance--one shot at a miracle finish and improbable comeback. The clock ticked to zero as Jared Jenkins lofted a pass from the American International 32-yard-line, hoping to find Cliff Harris in the end zone. But AIC's defense, which kept the Marauders' offense in check all game long, made the play, batting away the prayer and preserving a 14-9 victory for the visiting Yellow Jackets. 

Millersville (0-1) pulled within five points on a 17-play, 80-yard drive that consumed nearly nine minutes of the fourth quarter clock when Jenkins, subbing in for starter Cole Klayman, scrambled to his left and squeezed into the end zone from 10 yards out. The lengthy and wild drive included six penalties--four on AIC. Millersville had a third-and-17 and fourth-and-six converted by AIC penalties but also had a touchdown called back for an illegal formation. 

Yet the Jenkins score left Millersville with 4:43 to rally. Trying to drain the clock, AIC went to Chase Speller on first and second down, but Millersville's defense stuffed both runs. With a chance get off the field on third-and-six, Millersville couldn't contain AIC quarterback Jayson DeMild. A pair of Marauders initially sandwiched DeMild for what looked like a stop, but the QB managed to squirm free for 10 yards and a first down. AIC took the clock down to 10 seconds before Millersville got the ball back at its own 34. 

Millersville tried for a quick completion first, and Jenkins connected with Hakim Melvin down the Millersville sideline for 15 yards. Fifteen more yards were tacked on when Xavier Torres was flagged for targeting. That gave Millersville its one final toss to the end zone that fell incomplete. 

Both teams' defenses ruled the day. Millersville held AIC to 246 total yards, while AIC limited Millersville to 228. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Millersville's promising second drive of the first quarter ended at the AIC 43 on a fumble, and the Yellow Jackets capitalized immediately. Five plays later, DeMild connected with Jaheim McGuire for a 20-yard touchdown strike. 
• Millersville punter Zach Banta pinned AIC on its own 7 on a 52-yard punt on the next drive, and a false start put AIC's back against its goal line. On second and 12, Tyler Tate wrestled down DeMild just inside the end zone for a safety, and Millersville's first points. 
• AIC's lead grew to 14-2 with 3:41 left in the second quarter when DeMild found Tommy Smith for a 12-yard touchdown connection. The score stayed 14-2 until Millersville's late fourth-quarter rally. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Making his first start as a Marauder, Klayman went 17-for-25 for 129 yards and also rushed 13 times for a net of nine. Jenkins spelled Klayman for four snaps, rushing twice for six total yards and completing 1-of-2 passes. 
• K.J. Cartwright led the Marauders with 54 yards on the ground. Samad Davila led AIC with 62 yards on 19 carries. 
• Mekhi Alexander's five catches and 37 yards were both team highs for Millersville in the receiving game. 
• On defense, Christian Martir led the Marauders with 10 tackles, 3 1/2 tackles for loss and 1 1/2 sacks. Tate tallied nine tackles, and Isaiah Onuschak added seven and a half-sack. 

NOTES
• The win was AIC's first over Millersville, putting the all-time series at 4-1. Millersville had won all four previous meetings from 1992-95. 
• Banta, making his collegiate debut, recorded a long punt of 55 and two of his four punts traveled over 50 yards. 
• Alexander's five grabs were a career high. Cliff Harris, Roderick Davis-Perry, Hakim Melvin, and Jaheim Morris all made their first career catches. 
• Tate's sack was the first of his Millersville career. 

UP NEXT
• Millersville travels to Clarion for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Sept. 11.