Millersville University Football Comes Up Short on Homecoming, Falling to Shippensburg, 23-14

MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL COMES UP SHORT ON HOMECOMING, FALL TO SHIPPENSBURG 23-14

October 13, 2007, Millersville, Pa. – The Shippensburg University Red Raider football team converted on all four red zone scoring opportunities and went on to defeat host Millersville, 23-14, Saturday afternoon at Beimesderfer Stadium.

Shippensburg running backs Aaron Dykes and David Richards combined for 158 yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns to set the tone for the Red Raider offense. Kicker Jamie Reder finished off the scoring for Shippensburg hitting on all three of his field goal attempts (31, 41 and 31).

Millersville quarterback Jamal Smith (fr. Camp Hill/Trinity) finished the game 10-30 for 74 yards and an interception but kept the game close with his feet. Smith finished with 99 yards on 22 carries including a three yard touchdown run in the second quarter that cut the Shippensburg lead to three (10-7).

Shippensburg struck first in the contest after Millersville failed to score on their first possession. The Red Raiders started their drive at their own 27 yard line. On their first play from scrimmage, quarterback Gabe Maiocco found wide receiver Mike Harris for a 34 yard pitch and catch that set up an eventual 16 yard touchdown run by Dykes. The first of three Reder field goals on the day, late in the quarter, would extend Shippensburg's lead to ten (10-0).

Early in the second quarter, Millersville would answer with a drive that included six carries by Smith for 56 yards and resulted in their first touchdown of the day.

Shippensburg's Maiocco would once again use Harris to set up a score for the Red Raiders finding him twice on a drive late in the second quarter for 23 yards. The drive set up a 15 yard scamper by Richards to make the score 17-7 heading into the locker rooms.

The Marauders would get as close as six early in the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Jimmie Cotton (fr. Sharon Hill/Malvern Prep) scored on a 17 yard run and with the John Banzhof (so. Lancaster/McCaskey) extra point made it a one possession game.

Shippensburg, however, would use an eight play, 55 yard drive to set up Reder's final field goal of the day and extend their lead to nine (23-14) with just over eight minutes to play.

Millersville, behind the effort of Smith, finished the day with 180 yards on the ground on 41 carries. Shippensburg totaled 186 yards on 46 carries.

Defensive back Brandon Shelton (sr. New Oxford/Gettysburg Area) finished the day with ten tackles including one for a loss. Defensive backs Julius Carter (so. Philadelphia/John Bartram) and Marcus Banks (sr. Philadelphia/George Washington) contributed with eight tackles apiece.

Millersville falls to 2-5 (1-1 PSAC East) on the season with four games remaining. Shippensburg improves to 2-5 (1-1 PSAC West).

The Marauders will hit the field again next Saturday, October 20, when they travel to Bloomsburg University for a PSAC East match-up beginning at 1:30 p.m.