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ERIE, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University football team suffered its second consecutive loss on Saturday afternoon as it fell on the road at Mercyhurst University by a 14-10 final in front of nearly 2,000 fans at Tullio Field in the final crossover before divisional play gets underway next Saturday. The Huskies fell to 1-2 on the young season while the Lakers earned their first win of the campaign as they improved to 1-2 on the year.

With the Huskies leading 10-7 with 4:33 left in regulation, the Mercyhurst defense forced Bloomsburg to punt from its own 38-yard line after a three-and-out on offense. The Lakers' Cortez Watson returned the punt 77 yards before being tackled by junior punter Kieron Smethers (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro Area) at the Bloomsburg three-yard line. The Huskies' defense made things interesting as seniors Nate Monroe (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) and Dexter Jordan (Wernersville, Pa./Conrad Weiser) combined to stop running back Garrett Owens for a one-yard gain on first down and then sophomore Nick Argento (York, Pa./Red Lion) stuffed quarterback Doug Altavilla for just a one-yard gain on second down. On third-and-goal from the one, Owens was again stopped short of the goal line, this time by redshirt senior Josh Salak (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) setting up a fourth-and-goal from the Huskies' one with the game on the line. Mercyhurst decided to go for the win instead of attempting to tie the game and the move paid off for the Lakers as Altavilla found paydirt from a yard out, despite a bad snap, to give Mercyhurst a 14-10 lead with 2:16 left in regulation after Mark Shafer booted the extra point.

On the ensuing possession, redshirt sophomore quarterback Erik Benjamin (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) drove the Huskies down the field thanks, in large part, to a 40-yard pass play to redshirt junior wide receiver Jay Popson (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood) on third-and-eight which set up a first-and-goal from the Mercyhurst nine-yard line. However, Bloomsburg could not get into the endzone with the final attempt being a Benjamin pass attempt, intended for Smethers, being batted down by Mercyhurst's Dante Redwood with 36 seconds left.

Neither team was able to generate much in the way of offense as Bloomsburg could muster only 283 yards of total offense while the Lakers had just 245 yards on the afternoon. A majority of the Huskies' yardage came on the ground as Bloomsburg, which entered the contest as the PSAC's top rushing team through the first two weeks, rushed for 164 yards against the Mercyhurst defense. Redshirt junior Alex Gooden (Parkesburg, Pa./Octorara) made a triumphant return to the backfield as he carried the ball 16 times for 99 yards and the lone Bloomsburg touchdown. Senior Hakeem Sillman (Philadelphia, Pa./Frankford) added 15 carries for 58 yards on the afternoon. Meanwhile, Mercyhurst had most of its yardage through the air as Altavilla threw for 146 yards and one score.

After a scoreless first quarter, redshirt freshman Jaco Sattamini (Delaware Water Gap, Pa./Stroudsburg) put the first points on the scoreboard as he booted a 26-yard field goal with 12:50 left in the first half to cap off a 19-play, 76-yard drive that 9:07 off the clock. It was Sattamini's third field goal in as many tries through the first three weeks of the season. During the drive, Bloomsburg converted three third downs and one fourth down to take a 3-0 lead.

On the ensuing Mercyhurst possession, the Lakers were forced to punt from their own 35-yard line. Redshirt junior Michael Allen (Oley, Pa./Fleetwood) caught the kick at the Bloomsburg 28-yard line and took it to the house for, what would have been, a Huskies' touchdown had it not have been for a holding call against Bloomsburg that nullified the return. The Huskies were forced to punt on their possession and Mercyhurst took advantage as Altavilla hooked up with Austin Hence for a 19-yard touchdown pass to give the hosts a 7-3 lead, following the Shafer point after, with 6:21 left in the first half.

Bloomsburg, however, answered right back. The Huskies put together a seven-play, 60-yard drive which was capped off by a 36-yard touchdown run from Gooden and, after Sattamini drilled the point after, the Huskies led 10-7 with 2:41 left in the opening half.

Benjamin finished the day by completing 12-of-24 passes for 119 yards but was held to just 66 yards passing until competing a pair of passes for 53 yards on the Huskies' final drive. Popson was the team's leading receiver with four catches for 60 yards. Allen caught three balls for 20 yards while Rizzuto and redshirt sophomore Kevin Vitti (Albrightsville, Pa./Jim Thorpe) each caught a pair of passes. Owens led Mercyhurst with 87 yards rushing on 15 carries. Altavilla was 17-of-28 for 146 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Owens caught a team-high five passes for only 12 yards while Marcus Placke led the Lakers with 52 receiving yards on four catches.

Defensively, Monroe and redshirt junior Alex Annan (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) led the Huskies with six tackles apiece while four players - Salak, redshirt senior Chris Gary (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Wood), redshirt freshman Tyshaun Pollard (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East), and senior Nathaniel Webb (Oley, Pa./Oley Valley) - had five tackles apiece. Gary recorded the lone Bloomsburg sack on the day while senior Marquis Seamon (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) collected his second interception in as many weeks. Four Lakers had seven tackles to pace their defense.

Bloomsburg will return home on Saturday, September 22 as it opens PSAC Eastern Division action against Shippensburg University at Danny Hale Field at Redman Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

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