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ERIE, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University men's soccer team snapped a four-game losing streak in very impressive fashion on Friday afternoon as it earned a 4-2 road victory at Mercyhurst University for its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) win of the season. The Huskies improved to 3-4 overall and 1-2 in conference play while the Lakers dropped to 2-2-2 overall and 0-1-2 in league play. The win was only Bloomsburg's second victory over Mercyhurst in the all-time series - the Huskies had been 1-17 lifetime against the Lakers prior to Friday.

During the four-game skid, the Huskies had scored just one goal - a penalty kick by junior Tyler Madeira (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) with 18 minutes left in regulation against Shaw on Sunday, September 9. But, the offense exploded for four goals against a Laker defense that had allowed seven total goals in their first five games of the season.

Sophomore Carter Luckenbaugh (York, Pa./Central York) notched the only goal of the first half as he gave the Huskies a 1-0 advantage in the 32nd minute when he beat Mercyhurst goalkeeper Martin Jarc for his first collegiate goal. Luckenbaugh led the conference as a freshman last season with 11 assists - third-most in a single season in program history.

Mercyhurst outshot Bloomsburg, 7-4, in the opening half despite the Huskies holding a 4-1 edge in corner kicks.

Junior Evan Novian (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) extended the Huskies lead to 2-0 just under four minutes into the second half when he headed a corner kick past Jarc for his first collegiate goal. Madeira was credited with the assist on the marker.

The Lakers cut the lead in half when Mario Castel beat sophomore goalkeeper Brock Gould (York, Pa./Red Lion) in the 70th minute but the Huskies responded exactly five minutes later when junior Mike Bazadona III (Kingston, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) tallied his first goal of the season to push the lead back up to two at 3-1. Bazadona entered with seven goals in his first two seasons with the Huskies.

Bazadona's goal proved to be the game-winner as Castel kept things interesting for the Lakers when he scored his second goal of the game in the 82nd minute. But, sophomore Kacper Grycel (Allentown, Pa./Emmaus) ended any doubt when he picked up a loose ball in the Mercyhurst zone and beat Jarc for his first collegiate goal with just 17 seconds left in regulation to seal the Huskies' victory.

Mercyhurst held a 13-7 shot advantage in the second half and ending up outshooting the Huskies, 20-11, for the contest. Gould, making his second consecutive start in goal, turned aside seven shots for the second straight time to improve to 1-1 on the season. Jarc allowed four goals on five shots as he dropped to 2-2-2 on the year.

The Huskies will return to action on Sunday afternoon, September 23, when they return to Steph Pettit Stadium for a battle with the Golden Rams of West Chester University. Start time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

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