SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. -- Fifth-ranked Kutztown took advantage of good field position in the first half to build a 21-0 lead and the defense enjoyed another banner day as the Golden Bears improved to 7-0 for the fourth time in program history with a 31-2 victory at Shippensburg on Saturday afternoon.
 
Already ranked third in NCAA Division II in scoring defense at 8.5 points allowed per game, the Golden Bears lowered that number by allowing just a third quarter safety by the Raiders. Shippensburg started four drives within 10 yards of midfield or in Kutztown territory but time and time again the KU defense stepped up to keep the Raiders off the board.
 
Kutztown (7-0, 4-0 PSAC East) surrendered just 18 yards on Shippensburg's game-opening possession before driving 64 yards on eight plays in slightly less than four minutes to take a 7-0 lead on Jaedyn Stewart's (Newfield, N.J./Delsea Regional) 6-yard touchdown run.
 
The one-score lead remained for the Maroon and Gold into the second quarter before touchdowns on back-to-back drives opened its advantage to 21-0.
 
Stewart found the end zone for a second time from four yards out to make it 14-0 with 3:14 left in the first half. After the KU defense forced a turnover on downs, quarterback Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) connected with a pair of his receivers to get the Bears back on the board in quick succession.
 
Kurtis Ravenel Jr. (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) brought in an 11-yard reception before Mekhi Gibson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) hauled in a 46-yard TD pass from Novak for a 21-0 Kutztown lead.
 
Shippensburg (2-5, 1-3 PSAC East), which totaled just 81 yards in the first half, never ran a play in the Kutztown red zone. The Raiders' only points of the afternoon came when a snap sailed over the head of punter Nate Millard (Birdsboro, Pa./Daniel Boone) and out the back of the end zone for a safety that made it 21-2 with 2:47 to play in the third.
 
The Raiders had a chance to cut into the lead when Mike Fayemi intercepted Novak at the KU 44-yard line. On the very next play, however, Shippensburg quarterback Vincent Micucci was picked off by CJ Brown (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville).
 
Brown's interception along with a 22-yard pass from Novak to Tyreek Husser (Woodstown, N.J./Woodstown) helped set up a 38-yard field goal from Will Smith (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) that increased the Golden Bears' lead to 24-2.
 
Just past the midway point of the fourth, Novak hit Ravenel Jr. down the middle for a 30-yard TD pass to make it 31-2 and complete the scoring.
 
Kutztown allowed exactly two points in a game for the first time in 39 years, dating back to a 29-2 victory over Mansfield, 29-2 in 1985. It's just the fifth time in 108 seasons of KU football that an opponent's only points in a game came via safety (1901, 1936, 1958).
 
The Golden Bears outgained Shippensburg 312-102, improving upon the 214.2 yards per game they were allowing coming in. KU leads the PSAC and ranks fourth in NCAA DII in total defense.
 
Novak completed 23-of-35 passes for 262 yards, two TDs and two interceptions. The receiving trio of Gibson, Kracyla and Ravenel Jr. accounted for most of the yardage through the air. All three players finished with five catches, with Gibson recording 77 yards and a TD, Kracyla 64 yards and Ravenel Jr. 61 yards and a TD.
 
Stewart ran 12 times for 36 yards and two scores, but the Bears were limited to 50 yards on the ground.
 
Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) led a balanced defensive effort with six tackles (four solo), a sack and two tackles for loss. Eden Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Governor Mifflin) had five tackles, while Brown, Lee Coleman (Salem, N.J./Salem) and Drew Hensor (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) added four apiece. Mikey Gray (York, Pa./William Penn) and Jack Knorr (Pilesgrove, N.J./Woodstown) recorded a sack each and Kutztown amassed nine tackles for loss.
 
Kutztown improved to 8-1 in its last nine games against the Raiders going back to 2015 and have won four straight at Seth Grove Stadium.
 
The KU defense held Micucci to 85 yards passing and an interception while completing just 12-of-28 attempts. The Raiders' 18 rushing yards were the fewest by a Golden Bear opponent all season.
 
Kutztown, which extended its PSAC East winning streak to 11 games, will return to Andre Reed Stadium for Homecoming next Saturday, Oct. 26, to face Shepherd at 2 p.m.
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