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BLOOMSBURG—One week after coming back from a 13-0 deficit, the Bloomsburg University football team tried, but fell short, in its bid for a repeat performance as the Huskies lost 20-14 to Mercyhurst in front of a large Parents/Family Day crowd. The loss was the second straight at home for the Huskies to start the season, the first time since 1993 the team has dropped its first two home games of a season.
 
The Lakers got on the board in the first period when the Huskies Tim Kelly (Camp Hill/Cedar Cliff) was intercepted by Joe Dever at the Lakers 49-yard line. On the second play of the drive Brendan Boylan hit FJ Williams with a 42-yard scoring pass to give Mercyhurst a 7-0 lead.
 
Bloomsburg went three and out on its next series with the Lakers taking over at their own 29-yard line. Boylan completed passes of 14 and 27 yards on consecutive throws to put the Lakers at the Huskies 31-yard line. Runs of 16 and 12 yards followed putting the ball at the Huskie three yard line where Boylan hit Williams with a three-yard pass for a 14-0 lead.
 
Mercyhurst added to its lead in the second period. After a Bloomsburg punt gave the Lakers the ball at their own 20-yard line Mercyhurst marched down the field in nine plays with Boylan connecting with John Matarazzo on a 19-yard touchdown. The ball was tipped by a Huskies defender, but right into the hands of Matarazzo for the score. However, the extra point was wide leaving the Lakers up 20-0.
 
In the second half Mercyhurst started with a drive that stalled at the Huskies 16-yard line. The Laker's 33 yard field goal was wide right leaving it 20-0.
 
The Huskies responded on its first drive of the half by using a mix of the run and the pass. Lawrence Elliott Jr. (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor) started the drive with runs of 11 and seven yards and finished the drive with an 11-yard run and a four-yard TD run. A key play on the drive was a 26-yard bootleg run by quarterback Tim Kelly (Camp Hill/Cedar Cliff) on third and one that put the ball at the Laker's 15-yard line.
 
Two series later the Lakers were pinned back inside their own 10 yard line. On fourth down, the punt from Mercyhurst went just 23 yards with Dexter Jordan (Wernersville/Conrad Weiser) returning the ball to the Laker's 20-yard line. Four plays later Joe Parsnik (Wilkes-Barre/Coughlin) went in from one-yard out to make it 20-14.
 
The Bloomsburg defense then came up with several big stops in the fourth period forcing the Lakers to punt, but each time the Huskies offense stalled. Bloomsburg's best drive moved the ball to the 15-yard line of Mercyhurst. However, a 34-yard field goal try by Tyler Smith (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) was no good keeping it a six-point game.
 
The Huskies last drive of the game stalled at the Mercyhurst 49-yard line. The Laker's then ran out the final 3:18 on the clock to post the victory.
 
Elliott Jr. finished with 25 carries for 100 yards and one score, while Parsnik had 20 carries for 93 yards and a score. Kelly finished 13-29 for 107 yards, while defensively Jerrin Toomey (York/West York) had seven tackles and an interception.
 
For Mercyhurst, now 3-0, Boylan was 16-35 for 222 yards and three scores and an interception.
 
Bloomsburg, 1-2, will play at Shippensburg next week starting at 1 p.m.