Sept. 16, 2006

Stats

DETROIT, Mich. - Mercyhurst (0-3, 0-3 GLIAC) had control of the ball for nearly 38 minutes, but four long touchdown runs by Wayne State's Joique Bell gave the Warriors (2-1, 2-0 GLIAC) a 35-31 come-from-behind win over the Lakers.

Mercyhurst did not turn the ball over in the game, breaking a streak of 27 games with at least one turnover dating back to October 4, 2003.

Richard Stokes led the Lakers in both rushing with 82 yards and with four catches and 62 yards receiving. His counterpart Bell, however, ran for 318 yards. Bell had scores of 16, 34, 60 and 39 yards.

Mitch Phillis threw for 219 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was not intercepted in 35 pass attempts. He completed passes to eight different receivers, including seven who caught at least two passes.

Mercyhurst also held the Warriors to just 99 yards through the air, the third consecutive game holding an opponent under 100 yards.

"We matched up well with Wayne State," Mercyhurst Head Coach Marty Schaetzle said after the game. "We were just one play short on either offense, defense, or special teams."

The Lakers started the day by taking the opening kickoff and marching 78 yards on 13 plays to eat up over seven minutes. Mitch Phillis capped the drive when he hit Dan Schuler for a 16-yard score. Phillis went 5-of-7 on the drive. The touchdown gave Mercyhurst the first score of the game for the first time since October 23, 2004, a span of 14 games.

Wayne State answered right back with a seven-play, 70-yard drive to tie the game. Bell, who finished the series with a 16-yard score, accounted for all 70 yards on the drive, rushing for 47 and catching a 23-yard pass.

The score remained tied until early in the second quarter when Richard Stokes blocked a Caleb McFerren punt and Ben Jennings returned it eight yards for a score as the Lakers captured a 14-7 lead.

The Warriors again came right back to tie the game. Trent Pohl hit Chris Alsina for a 35-yard pass, followed by a 34-yard touchdown by Bell.

After the Warriors forced Mecyhurst to go three and out, Bell broke a 60-yard run to the endzone to give Wayne State its first lead, 21-14 with 8:04 left in the half.

Mercyhurst scored two more touchdowns to take a 28-21 lead into the half. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by Wayne State gave the Lakers good field position and Phillis capped a scoring drive with a two-yard pass to Owen Evans to tie the score at 21-21.

Aaron Parks intercepted Pohl on the Warriors next possession and Mercyhurst took over at the WSU 33. Phillis hit Richard Stokes with 26 yard pass and Stokes had a one-yard plunge for the 28-21 halftime lead.

Wayne State tied the game with the opening kick and handed off to Bell six times before Pohl tied the score with an eight-yard pass to tight end John Rehberg to tie the ballgame.

The Lakers took a 31-28 lead with just 1:30 left in the third quarter on a 41-yard field by Phil Scanlon after a nine-play drive stalled in Warrior territory.

The two teams were scoreless for much of the fourth period. Brandon Hill uncorked a 47-yard punt, but Jerriel Burns returned the kick 43 yards to the Mercyhurst 45. On second and four, Bell ran for his final score of the afternoon, taking it in from 43 yards out with just 4:06 left.

Mercyhurst's next drive stalled with 2:20 left in the game and the Lakers were forced to punt. The Mercyhurst defense forced Wayne State into a third and three, but Bell busted 63 yards on the next play to seal the win for Wayne State.

Bell's 318 rushing yards in the game set a new Wayne State single game record, and his four touchdowns tied the Warrior mark.

Theo Hall and Charlie Gleisner tied for the Mercyhurst lead with eight tackles each. Gleisner also forced a fumble. Parks had five tackles, but intercepted a pass and forced a fumble.

Wayne State's Alan Guy led all players with 10 stops.

Mercyhurst converted 8-of-17 first downs, but after going 7-of-10 in the first half, converted juste 1-of-7 in the final two quarters.

The Warriors turned just 3-of-9 third downs into first downs, but came up with the 63-yard run by Bell on third down late in the fourth quarter.

Mercyhurst returns home on Saturday, September 23 to face crosstown GLIAC rival Gannon at Tullio Field. Kickoff is set for 1:30 PM.