BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University football team spotted the visiting Lakers of Mercyhurst University 31 consecutive points before a late rally fell short as the Huskies dropped a 38-24 decision in front of 3,229 fans at a sun-baked Danny Hale Field at Redman Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Bloomsburg dropped to 1-2 on the season while Mercyhurst improved to 2-1 with the victory.

Senior Michael Allen (Oley, Pa./Fleetwood) had a career afternoon for the Huskies as he eclipsed 100 yards receiving in a game for the first time in his collegiate career. He finished with a career-best eight catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns and then posted a pair of punt returns for 36 yards to finish with 202 all-purpose yards on the afternoon - also a career-high. Redshirt freshman Logan Leiby (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) also had his best day throwing the football as he completed 14-of-24 for a career-best 194 yards and the two touchdowns to Allen.

Unfortunately for the Huskies, the rough start proved to be too much to overcome as Mercyhurst jumped out to a 24-0 advantage at halftime and then added another touchdown to open the second half before Bloomsburg could crack the scoreboard.

The only points of the opening quarter came courtesy of Mercyhurst kick Mark Shafer Jr. as he booted a 26-yard field goal with 3:54 left in the first stanza to give the Lakers a 3-0 lead. The visitors then added three touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 24-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. Garrett Owens started the scoring with a four-yard touchdown run - his first of three scores on the day - to cap off a nine-play, 76-yard drive and to give the Lakers a 10-0 lead following the extra point.

Redshirt sophomore Tariq Blakney Jr. (Philadelphia, Pa./Abraham Lincoln) picked off Mercyhurst quarterback Doug Altavilla at the Bloomsburg 15 to stop the Lakers on their next possession but on the first play of the Huskies' ensuing possession, a fumble gave Mercyhurst the ball right back with excellent field position at the Bloomsburg 25. The turning point of the game came on that drive as the Lakers converted a third-and-23 when Altavilla found his younger brother, Nick Altavilla, on a 25-yard reception to the Huskies' one. Owens was back in the endzone on the next play and Mercyhurst pushed the lead to 17-0 with 4:40 left in the first half.

The Lakers tacked on another score to close out the half when Altavilla hooked up with Jason Armstrong for an 11-yard touchdown reception to give Mercyhurst a 24-0 advantage at the break.

Owens scored his third touchdown of the day to open the third quarter - this time a five-yard run - as Mercyhurst took a 31-0 lead with 11:12 remaining in the frame.

The Huskies, who were held to just 64 offensive yards in the opening half, found some life on their next drive as they needed only two plays to drive 75 yards for their first score of the afternoon. Bloomsburg went to play action and caught the Lakers off guard as Leiby hooked up with Allen for a season-long 52-yard reception and then the duo connected again for a 23-yard touchdown pass on the next play to put Bloomsburg on the board with 10:20 left in the third quarter.

Then, on the first play from scrimmage to start the fourth quarter, redshirt junior Nyfease West (Philadelphia, Pa./North Penn) found paydirt for the first time in his Bloomsburg career as he went around left end and into the endzone from seven yards out to cut the Mercyhurst lead to 31-13 with 14:54 left in regulation. The Huskies went for two but the try was picked off in the endzone.

After a stop by the defense, Bloomsburg was on the move again but had to settle for a career-long 39-yard field goal from sophomore Cameron Shollenberger (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove Area) and, with nine minutes left, the Huskies cut the deficit to 31-16. On the next Mercyhurst possession, however, the Lakers put together a back-breaking drive as they went 76 yards on nine plays that took nearly five-and-a-half minutes off the clock. Altavilla found Armstrong from four yards out to cap off the drive and Mercyhurst pushed the advantage back to 38-16 with 3:29 left.

Bloomsburg answered with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Leiby to Allen as the Huskies went 75 yards in 11 plays on the next drive to cut the deficit to 38-22 with 1:27 left. Leiby and Allen hooked up for the two-point conversion as the Huskies inched closer at 38-24. But, Bloomsburg was unable to recover an onside kick attempt and the Lakers ran out the clock.

The Huskies finished the day with a season-high 276 yards of total offense - 212 of those coming in the second half. Leiby threw for 194 yards with 166 of those going to Allen. On the ground, the Lakers limited Bloomsburg to just 82 yards on the day which was aided by six sacks of Leiby. West was the leading rusher with 53 yards on 12 carries while redshirt sophomore Khalil Nelson (Philadelphia, Pa./Mastery Charter Thomas) added 50 yards on 10 totes. Mercyhurst, meanwhile, finished with 335 yards of total offense. Owens had 94 yards rushing and three scores on 21 carries and added two receptions for 31 yards on the day. Altavilla was 14-of-25 for 208 yards and two scores but was also picked off twice. Armstrong had three catches for 28 yards and two scores as Altavilla completed 14 passes to eight different receivers.

Defensively, senior Alex Annan (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) and junior Alex Findura (Stockbridge, Ga./Woodland) led the Huskies with seven tackles apiece. Findura also had two tackles for a loss. Blakney Jr. and redshirt sophomore Cameron Young (Elysburg, Pa./Southern Columbia) had the Bloomsburg interceptions with both picking off the first passes of their collegiate careers. The Lakers, meanwhile, got to Leiby six times - two by Jacob Holl - and held the Huskies to 3-of-14 on third-down conversions. Joseph Scro, Jake Tarasovitch, and Alex Zacharyasz led with eight stops apiece.