KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Shippensburg University football team controlled the ball for 37 minutes on Saturday afternoon in hostile territory, ran for 186 yards, forced four turnovers, blocked two kicks and had four sacks but could not come away with a crucial road victory. SU did not sustain its first-half momentum in dropping a 33-24 decision to Kutztown from University Field.

Shippensburg (1-4, 0-2 PSAC East) had a first half to remember, racing out to a 10-0 lead midway through the first quarter and establishing a 17-7 advantage at intermission. The Red Raiders used 11 plays to travel 69 yards and score a touchdown on the game's opening drive, with the final play of the series being a nifty improvisational lateral from sophomore quarterback Steven Adams to junior halfback Roshaan McCain after Adams had scrambled out of the pocket and reached a group of KU defenders.

On Kutztown's first offensive play, a triple flea flicker was quashed by the Red Raiders when sophomore Tyrik Clary picked off Kevin Morton and returned the ball 50 yards to the Kutztown 10-yard line. Freshman Nate Schmidt kicked a 26-yard field goal to put the Red Raiders up by 10 points less than eight minutes into the game.

Senior co-captain Riley Bowen, who led the Red Raiders on Saturday with 11 combined tackles, intercepted Morton on Kutztown's second drive of the game after the Golden Bears had entered the red zone.

After an exchange of punts, SU began the second quarter with a new set of downs and needed just five plays to travel 72 yards and build a 17-0 lead. A 47-yard center screen pass to senior Kevin Marshall and a pair of long rushes by McCain set up a 1-yard touchdown plunge for sophomore Kevin Herod.

On the opening kickoff of the second half, safety Mike Lloyd unleashed a thunderous hit on Kendall Coleman that forced a fumble. Senior Marcellus Sammons fell on the loose ball, and one play later, Adams threw a pretty 28-yard slant pass to sophomore split end Jacob Baskerville that gave SU a 24-7 lead just 14 seconds into the second half.

Kutztown (5-0, 2-0 PSAC East), who entered the game as the No. 1 scoring offense and No. 1 scoring defense in the PSAC, began to establish some rhythm with its quick-hitting offense after the touchdown. KU drove 69 yards in just 3:10 to cut its deficit to 10 points, and after an SU punt, needed just 1:50 to score another touchdown and get within three points of the lead.

The turning point came early in the fourth quarter. Facing a third-and-6 from the SU 37-yard line, Adams was hit from behind in the midst of a pass attempt and the ball landed in the hands of Jay McKnight for an interception. Two plays later, Kutztown had traveled 41 yards to take its first lead of the game, 27-24, with 14:20 to go.

SU's next offensive play came just inches short of putting the Red Raiders back on top. Freshman Zach Zulli snuck into the game as a split end and took a reverse from Adams. Zulli then dropped back and sent a long pass through the air that landed just beyond the outstretched arms of sophomore Bryan Barley. That drive ultimately ended in a punt, and three of Shippensburg's final four drives were cut short by interceptions.

McCain led the team with 75 yards rushing on 13 carries, while Herod totaled 66 yards on 15 carries. Marshall added 42 yards on the ground and 79 receiving yards. His 121 all-purpose yards now ranks him sixth all-time in school history, with 3,641 through 37 career games.

Defensively, Clary had seven tackles, three sacks, two blocked extra points and the aforementioned interception. Senior Erik Van Ness had two tackles for loss while the Red Raiders finished with seven as a team.

Shippensburg returns to action Thursday at 8 p.m. from West Chester in a game that will be nationally televised by the CBS College Sports Network and simulcast online at www.ncaa.com/allaccess. The two teams will be battling to remain in the PSAC Eastern Division race after the Golden Rams dropped a 39-37 triple overtime decision on Homecoming to C.W. Post.

Student Senate and APB are sponsoring a Spirit Bus that will transport fans to West Chester for Thursday's game. Tickets are $3 for SU students with their ID and $12 to the general public. Fans must also be responsible for purchasing their own game ticket at the stadium or by calling the WCU ticket office at (610) 436-2266. More information about the Spirit Bus will be available on Sunday at shipraiders.com.

Notes: Baskerville's touchdown catch was the first of his collegiate career…freshman tailback Jeryl Cole made his collegiate debut and had three receptions for 22 yards…sophomore safety Corey Hunt chased down Morton after a 54-yard rush late in the game and forced a fumble that was recovered by junior Terence Glenn.