MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Two fourth down, fourth quarter stops by the Bloomsburg defense and a drive-extending conversion by its offense was the difference in the Huskies edging Millersville 34-31 in a seesaw PSAC East battle Saturday at Biemesderfer Stadium. 

The lead changed hands six times and the Huskies scored a season-high 34 points, aided by a momentum-swinging blocked punt and touchdown return early in the third quarter. Twice in the fourth quarter, Millersville had the ball with a chance for a game-tying or go-ahead score but turned it over on downs both times in Bloomsburg territory. The loss was Millersville's third in a row by six points or fewer and Millersville's fourth one-score loss of the season. 

"Didn't make enough plays," said Millersville head coach J.C. Morgan. "We had some opportunities. We had some good looks in all of those drives, especially the last two and just couldn't make a play."

Millersville freshman Brett Nye made his first collegiate start at quarterback and provided clean play, completing 23-of-34 passes for 156 yards and added a 55-yard run that set up Millersville's final score, momentarily giving his team an eight point lead with just over 24 minutes to play. Nye rushed five times for 72 yards and did not take sack.

"Going into the game, the message was, 'take what they give you,': said Morgan. "(Brett) had a great understanding of what (the Bloomsburg defense) were giving up. He was decisive. He prepared and had some great moments and a great week of preparation, which is the norm for him."

Jaheim Morris also added a touchdown and 78 yards on 18 carries, and Hakim Melvin scored twice for the Marauders, once on a sweep from four yards out and then on a 96-yard kick return late in the second quarter. Melvin is the first Marauder since 2005 with two kickoff returns for touchdowns in a season. 

While the Marauders topped 30 points for just the third time this season, Bloomsburg's defense, which entered the game ranked third in the PSAC in scoring, clamped down late and prevented any kind of downfield opportunities. Following a 79-yard drive in which the Marauders did not put the ball in the air once, Millersville's next four possessions included two punts and two failed fourth down conversions. Nye started 11-for-12 but finished 9-for-15 for just 30 yards in those final four scoreless drives. 

Bloomsburg methodically chipped away at the Millersville advantage. A short field set up by a long punt return resulted in a 20-yard field goal from Kevin Garrigan, pulling the Huskies to within 31-25 at the end of the third quarter. After a Millersville three-and-out, Bloomsburg drove 66 yards in six plays with Kaleb Monaco scoring on a 10-yard run. Ben Ries completed a pass to Jerry Griffen-Batchler for a two-point conversion and three-point Bloomsburg advantage. Millersville took over on its own 20 with 11:12 to play and pushed to the Bloomsburg 39 before Nye mishandled a snap on second-and-six. The seven-yard loss put the Marauders behind the chains, and a fourth-and-eight pass was broken up. Bloomsburg used eight plays to drain 4:38 off the clock, but Isaiah Onuschak deflected a Ries pass on fourth-and-two at the Millersville 38, giving the ball back to Nye with 1:49 to play. 

A Bloomsburg personal foul moved the chains to the Bloomsburg 40 on third-and-nine, but Millersville could not move any closer to field goal range. Nye was pressured for an incompletion on first down. Back-to-back short passes made it fourth-and-seven, and Nye's final pass intended for Mekhi Alexander fell incomplete. 

"Bloomsburg has had good defensive play this year, keeping some of the top teams in the league under their average," said Morgan. "For us to get points and move the ball, I was pleased with that, but down the stretch, we need to convert when it counts. That's been the issue the last few weeks. We've had the ball with a chance to tie or win and it hasn't gone in our favor. We have to figure that part out."

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Monaco rushed 21 times for 90 yards and scored two touchdowns.
• Millersville held a 20-19 edge in first downs, a 177-159 advantage in rushing yards and a 333-328 edge in total offense. 
• Both teams were penalized four times for 40 yards. 
• Bloomsburg entered the game having allowed just seven sacks on the season (the fewest in the PSAC) while Millersville led the PSAC in sacks. Connor Snyder got to Ries once. 

MORE FROM COACH MORGAN

• "My message to the team was that I've been pleased with how they perform during the week. They prepare well. They practice well. They have a great approach. It hurts. We've got one more opportunity to continue to practice and prepare well, get in the same position again and kick through the next time."

UP NEXT

• Millersville closes its season at home on Nov. 11 against Seton Hill.