Box Score BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Senior quarterback Jeff Ziemba (Newark, Del./St. Mark's) completed 25-of-35 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns, while freshman running back Brandon Hlavach (Baltimore, Md./Eastern Tech) rushed 21 times for 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead Shepherd University (12-0) to a 40-21 win over LIU Post (12-1) in second round action of the NCAA II Football Championship at LIU Post on Saturday.

Shepherd took a 7-0 lead when Hlavach scored on a 31-yard run with 12:57 left in the first quarter. Junior kicker Zachary Wise (Berkeley Springs, W.Va./Berkeley Springs) added the extra point.

LIU Post tied the game on a one-yard plunge by Malik Pierre with 4:59 left in the first quarter.

Ziemba teamed with senior wide receiver Billy Brown (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) on a six-yard scoring strike with 14:24 left in the second quarter to give the Rams a 14-7 advantage.

Ziemba froze the defense with a play-action fake and teamed with senior CJ Davis (Hagerstown, Md./South Hagerstown) on a 33-yard scoring pass with 4:34 left in the second quarter to take a 20-7 lead. The extra point was no good.

The Rams drove 72 yards for the score after the Rams' defense held tight following a first-and-goal situation for the Pioneers.

Ziemba teamed with Brown on a five-yard scoring pass with 23 seconds left in the half to give the Rams a 26-7 lead at the break. The extra point attempt was blocked.

David White scored on a five-yard run for the Pioneers with 6:14 left in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 26-14.

The Rams took a 33-14 advantage when Hlavach scored on a three-yard run with 9:34 left in the fourth quarter.

The Pioneers answered back when Jeff Kidd tossed a two-yard touchdown pass to James Higgins with 7:33 remaining to cut the lead to 33-21.

Ziemba and Brown combined on a two-yard scoring pass with 4:27 left to seal the win for the Rams.

Brown had 11 receptions for 189 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Shepherd receivers. Davis added nine catches for 127 yards. Shane Hubbard had 10 catches for 155 yards to lead the Pioneers.

Malik Pierre had nine carries for 67 yards to pace the Pioneers.

Kidd completed 24-of-43 passes for 288 yards for LIU Post.

Shepherd gained 591 yards of total offense, while LIU Post had 288.

Junior linebacker James Gupton (Waldorf, Md./North Point) led the Rams with nine tackles (six solo). Junior defensive end Myles Humphrey (Upper Marlboro, Md/Dr. Henry A. Wise) added five stops (four solo) with 2.5 tackles-for-loss. Nate Feliz had a game-high 10 tackles (six solo) to lead the Pioneers.

The Rams return to action next Saturday when the travel to California (Pa.) for Super Region One regional championship action of the NCAA II Football Championship.

Notes: Brown now has 20 touchdown grabs on the season … Hlavach rushed for 100 yards or more for the fifth time this season … Ziemba has 28 touchdown passes on the year … Shepherd is now 12-9 all-time in NCAA II postseason play … Shepherd won its first game in the state of New York.