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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University football team was blitzed for 27 straight points after scoring 0:22 into the game and dropped a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) game 27-13 to Shippensburg University Saturday evening at Andre Reed Stadium on Homecoming night.
 
The loss snapped a three-game win streak by the Golden Bears (6-3 overall, 4-2 PSAC East Division).
 
After a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on the game's opening play, the Red Raiders tallied the next 27 points spanning until early in the fourth quarter.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Nyiem Nevarez (Effort, Pa./Pleasant Valley) recorded his first career touchdown when he ran back the opening kick 99 yards with 14:38 left in the first quarter. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown for KU since the 2013 season. It was also the longest since a 100-yard return during the 2011 season.
 
But from that point on, the KU offense struggled to get into any rhythm.
 
For the next 51:00, Shippensburg (8-1, 5-1) held the Golden Bears without a point, including coming up with three interceptions.
 
"Credit to them, they were a physical team and I knew it would be a defensive battle," said head coach Jim Clements. "They played with a passion tonight and were more energized than we were."
 
Three different Red Raiders scored touchdowns during the 27-0 run.
 
On Shippensburg's first possession of the game, senior quarterback Ryan Zapoticky capped a six-play, 63-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 7-7.
 
Zapoticky later found Winston Eubanks for an 18-yard score with 0:56 left in the first quarter.
 
Cole Chiappialle added a one-yard touchdown run for the Red Raiders for the only score of the 2nd quarter as they took a 20-7 lead into halftime.
 
After a scoreless third quarter, Zapoticky and Eubanks connected again on a three-yard touchdown play with 13:01 remaining in the game.
 
Redshirt-freshman Evan Culver (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley) scored the lone KU offensive touchdown with 8:44 remaining, but after a missed two-point conversion, the Red Raiders defense didn't allow any further damage.
 
Senior wide receiver Josh Lee (Willow Grove, Pa./Abington (Thaddeus Stevens)) had a team-high four catches for 68 yards. Redshirt-sophomore Abdul-Hassan Neblett (Newark, N.J./Paramus Catholic) carried five times for 50 yards to lead the KU rushing attack.
 
Jalen Nieves (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) led the defense with 16 tackles, including 1.5 for-loss, and one sack. He has 241 career tackles, 14th in school history.
 
Shawn Turber-Ortiz (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) recorded 11 tackles, with one being for-loss.
 
Shippensburg remains in first place in the PSAC, while Kutztown drops to third place.
 
Kutztown next takes the field on the road at Cheyney University next Saturday, Nov. 4. Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m.