Nick Witwer

Staff Writer

Millersville went on the road to Bloomsburg this past Saturday to take on the Huskies in their second conference game of the season. Last week they lost a tough game against Kutztown so the Marauders came in hoping that they would be able to pick up the upset win. Bloomsburg would make that task difficult as they came into the game sitting tied with Shippensburg in the top spot of the PSAC East conference.
The first quarter went back and forth with a series of punts and a Bloomsburg turnover. Neither team could get the advantage until Millersville quarterback, J.J. Paige, found Tyler Zilen for a six yard touchdown pass. Zilen would go on to have a big day as he would record seven receptions throughout the game. That not only is his career high, but it is also the most receptions by a Marauder tight end in the last fifteen years. Soon after Zilen’s touchdown grab, the Huskies would answer back in the second quarter with a Kyle Butts 39 yard field goal. This set off a chain reaction of scoring plays as Bloomsburg would succeed in adding a twelve yard touchdown connection from Chris Palubinsky to Chad Hoffman. After adding another field goal, this one from 35 yards, Bloomsburg continued their onslaught by adding a one yard touchdown run by Lawrence Elliott Jr. to bring the score to 19-7 at the half. The Huskies would not hold back as they scored again on their opening drive in the third quarter. Once again it was Elliott Jr. with the touchdown run, this one was good for 43 yards. Millersville would trail as much as 29-7 late in the third quarter. With only a few minutes left in the quarter, Paige would find wide receiver, Kevin Wiggins for the seven yard touchdown. After converting the two point conversion, the Marauders found themselves down 29-15 as the game entered the fourth quarter. The score would stay that way as Bloomsburg could not manage to add any more points on the board and Millersville could not convert on a fourth-and-eleven play from Bloomsburg’s fifteen yard line.
With the loss, the Marauders now fall to 1-4 on the season with a 0-2 record in the conference. Next week Millersville hosts East Stroudsburg in another PSAC East showdown. For now, the team will need to regroup and refocus themselves so that they can play competitively during the remainder of the season.