SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University football team scored on four of its five first-half possessions and set a single-game record for rushing defense on Saturday as the Raiders dispatched Millersville, 38-7, on Homecoming at Student Association Field at Seth Grove Stadium.
 
Shippensburg (6-2, 3-2 PSAC East) limited Millersville (2-6, 1-4) to minus-61 rushing yards – the fewest rushing yards by a Raider opponent in school history. Eight SU sacks resulted a loss of 58 yards, and the Marauders ran the ball just eight times and those carries resulted in a total of minus-3 yards.
 
Through three quarters, SU's defense limited the Marauders to 13 total yards on 31 plays and only three first downs. Millersville went 3-and-out on six consecutive drives after its opening possession and did not convert a third down until the fourth quarter.  
 
The Raiders also controlled the ball for 40:34 – signifying its highest time of possession in a single game in a 181-game span dating back to Oct. 16, 2004 (a 32-14 win at Cal U. in which John Kuhn '04 ran for 168 yards). SU ran the ball 56 times for 212 yards and redshirt-junior quarterback Brycen Mussina was efficient in completing 14-of-17 passes for 187 yards.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Bill Williams had 21 carries for 76 yards, while redshirt-sophomore Khalid Dorsey ran 13 times for 71 yards and a touchdown. Dorsey converted a 4th-and-1 on SU's opening drive with a seven-yard run and later scored the game's second touchdown on a nine-yard carry.
 
Mussina once again exhibited the ability to scramble and run from the quarterback position; he ended up with a total of 29 rushing yards despite losing 26 yards due to sacks. He ran in touchdowns of five yards and three yards in the first half and also converted multiple third downs with his legs – including a 10-yard run on a 3rd-and-9 in the second quarter and a 20-yard run on a 3rd-and-11 in the second quarter.
 
Through the air, graduate Evan Morrill caught a team-high four receptions for 46 yards against his former squad. Redshirt-senior Kyle Evans had two catches for 53 yards – including a 44-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and freshman Ian Sheehan had two catches for 44 yards – including a nifty seven-yard touchdown grab in the third quarter. Redshirt-junior tight end David Balint III hauled in three passes for 27 yards.
 
Ten different Raiders contributed to a sack in Saturday's game. On Millersville's third drive of the game, Shippensburg recorded three straight sacks before a Marauder punt. Senior linebacker Laron Woody tied for the team high with six tackles and led with 2.5 tackles-for-loss (TFLs), including 1.5 sacks. Redshirt-sophomore Tyler Simon also had six tackles, including 1.5 TFLs.
 
Twelve different Raiders contributed to the team's 12 TFLs. Redshirt-freshman Riley Good had a 10-yard sack that resulted in a fumble and sophomore Jacoby Sherard had a nine-yard sack.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Aaron Alphee and freshman Johan Alcantara each had sack-fumbles, with Alcantara's recovered by redshirt-freshman Ray Jones.
 
Freshman Jaxson Montross kicked an 18-yard field goal and nearly broke his own school record for longest field goal; his attempt of a 52-yarder hit the left upright.
 
About the only hindrance for the Raiders on Saturday was penalties – SU was flagged 10 times for a total of 100 yards.
 
Shippensburg's final road game of the season is next weekend – a 1:05 p.m. kickoff at East Stroudsburg.
 
Notes: In addition to the school record, the minus-61 rushing yards is the third lowest in NCAA Division II this season (Mars Hill held NAIA Virginia Lynchburg to minus-76 yards on Sept. 9, and West Chester held Millersville to minus-64 rushing yards on Sept. 25)…Shippensburg has now won 17 consecutive meetings in the series with Millersville…in the last six meetings between the two teams (2015-29, 2021), Millersville has totaled just 31 rushing yards and been sacked 35 times in that span…Shippensburg now leads the PSAC in time of possession (34:29).