Marauders start fast but can't hold on in loss to Shippensburg

Saturday, October 12

Millersville, PA

12:00 PM

Millersville University

0-6 , 0-2

Shippensburg

2-4 , 1-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Shippensburg

Millersville

Marauders start fast but can't hold on in loss to Shippensburg

10/12/2024 3:20:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Millersville raced to a 10-point halftime lead, but visiting Shippensburg out-scored the Marauders 21-3 in the second half for a 35-27, come-from-behind win.

Millersville raced to a 14-0 lead on 80-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Zeltt to Hakim Melvin and a Kam Taylor to Isaac Sines wide receiver-to-wide receiver 78-yard bomb. Millersville passed for 318 yards and scored more points in the first half than it had in any game this season. But the second half belonged to the Raiders. They scored on each of their first two drives of the third quarter, converting 5-of-5 third downs and played keep-away, scoring a back-breaking touchdown on a drive that covered 11 plays, 80 yards and 6:07 of game clock. The Raiders ran 10 or more plays on four of their five touchdown drives.

"There weren't a lot of schematic adjustments (by Shippensburg)," said Millersville head coach J.C. Morgan. "We had penalties that knocked us back and got in our own way. We have to get a couple first downs and our defense has to get off the field."

In the second half, Shippensburg went 3-for-3 in the red zone, converted 6-of-9 third downs as well as a crucial fourth-down conversion that set-up its final score. Millersville was flagged nine times for 80 yards in the final 30 minutes and committed 14 penalties in the game. The defense was flagged for four personal fouls, including three on Shippensburg's final scoring drive.

"When you are trying to learn how to win it comes down to a lot of little things, not big things," said Morgan. "That's what we are seeing right now. It's not the lack of ability. A lot of these games we put ourselves in position. We are making a lot of mistakes. A lot of penalties. We are getting in our own way with that stuff. They worked their tails off to keep coming back and they keep preparing. The results haven't gone our way but we are very motivated to continue to get better and see those results."

The Marauders totaled a season-high 405 yards of offense and out-gained Shippensburg by 121 yards. They scored three touchdowns in a row after starting the game with a punt but managed six points on its final seven drives. Zeltt went 26-for-36 for 327 yards and a touchdown, but committed the game's only turnover as he was intercepted by Gabe Benjamin at the Shippensburg 30 as the Marauders were trying for a potential game-tying score.

"He hasn't had a lot of experience coming into this," said Morgan. "He's getting an understanding of what's asked of him. He has the arm talent and some good football awareness. He understands the plan and what the defense is doing. He's working through it. There are some plays he wish he had back. Hopefully we'll see him continue to get better."

Isaac Sines caught a career-high seven passes for 126 yards. Isaiah Armand made his first career touchdown catch. Jaiden Abrams rushed for 88 yards on 12 carries. He broke a 56-yard run on Millersville's first drive of the third quarter, but Josh Lesesne made a game-changing tackle on the play. He caught Abrams at the Ship 7, saving a touchdown, and Millersville settled for a field goal.

Millersville's final points came on a 24-yard field goal from Trent McDowell with 6:28 to play in the third quarter. The 27-21 lead disappeared on Vincent Micucci's third TD pass of the game with 1:35 left in the third. Tanner Hess' one-yard touchdown with 6:07 left put the Raiders in firm control. Early on that drive, Millersville thought it had recovered a fumble on a quarterback pitch, but the play was ruled an incomplete forward pass. Micucci then converted a fourth-and-three play to extend the drive.

"There were a lot of situations we need to overcome," said Morgan. "At times we did, at times we didn't. Shippensburg had times they got knocked back behind the sticks and overcame that. Credit to them. They made more plays than us at the end."

Millersville now faces four road games in the final five weeks. It's next stop is at Shepherd on Oct. 19.