Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University football team broke open a 21-14 game late in the second quarter, going on to score 42 unanswered points and defeat Cheyney University 63-14 on Saturday afternoon in front of 2,733 fans at Tullio Field on Homecoming weekend. The win snapped a two-game skid for the Lakers as they improved to 2-3 on the season. Meanwhile, Cheyney remained winless at 0-5.

The 63 points scored by Mercyhurst on Saturday were the most by a Laker football team since a 63-14 win at Buffalo State on October 8, 1988, under head coach Ken Brasington - a span of 25 years. In that game against the Bengals, Mercyhurst had eight rushing touchdowns (two by Donnie DiCarlo) and one touchdown through the air (Greg Haski to Tom Hemer).

In Saturday's contest against the Wolves, Mercyhurst spread the ball around on offense, scoring four times on the ground and five times through the air. Redshirt senior quarterback Anthony Vendemia broke out of a two-game slump by completing 13-of-16 for 221 yards and four touchdowns. In the process, Vendemia became the third quarterback in program history to throw for 4,000 in his career. Redshirt junior Alec Swartz came on in relief and completed all four of his pass attempts for 55 yards and his first collegiate touchdown pass. Swartz also ran in for his first collegiate rushing touchdown.

All told, six Lakers found paydirt for the first time in their Mercyhurst careers on Saturday. Sophomore wide receiver Jaquan Williams scored twice, both on the receiving end of Vendemia throws. Junior transfer Marcus Snipes scored on the longest pass play of the season - a 63-yard pass from Vendemia late in the first quarter. Redshirt sophomore T.J. Latimer, junior Pat Barry, and freshman Drew Robinson also scored for the first time in their Laker careers. Meanwhile, senior fullback Jeff Groene, who had four career carries entering play Saturday, scored his first collegiate rushing touchdown in the third quarter.

Mercyhurst outgained Cheyney 528-189 during the course of the afternoon. The Laker defense, which allowed 609 yards against Slippery Rock the week prior, allowed just 45 yards passing on Saturday and held the Wolves to zero yards or fewer in six of their 13 drives. Meanwhile, the offense exploded for its highest output of the season and scored on all five of its possessions in the second half.

Vendemia had three long touchdown-scoring passing plays as the Lakers opened a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter. The offense, which had averaged just 10.4 yards per catch all season, got touchdowns of 34 yards (Vendemia to Williams), 63 yards (Vendemia to Snipes), and 59 yards (Vendemia to Williams) in just over 15 minutes. The first score to Williams came on a fourth-and-nine play.

However, the Wolves answered with back-to-back scoring drives. Justin Watkins capped off a seven-play, 70-yard drive with a 17-yard touchdown run to cut the Laker lead to 21-7. Marcus Jones followed with a six-yard run with 2:23 left in the first half to make it a 21-14 contest. The latter of the two scores was aided by a 72-yard punt return by Eugene Moten.

But, Mercyhurst scored exactly one minute later to take a two-touchdown lead into the locker room thanks to another long scoring play - a 55-yard touchdown run by senior Allen Jones II. The Youngstown, Ohio native had a career afternoon on the ground for the Lakers, finishing with a career-high 161 yards on just 13 carries. Jones II previous high was 132 at Millersville last season.

Meanwhile, the Cheyney defense did a number on redshirt sophomore Brandon Brown-Dukes. After having three successive 100-yard games, Brown-Dukes was held to a career-low four yards on eight carries.

The second half was all Mercyhurst as the Lakers scored on all five of their possessions. Groene started the scoring with a six-yard touchdown run with 11:23 left in the third quarter. Latimer then found the endzone from six yards out after being on the receiving end of a Vendemia pass. That extended the Laker lead to 42-14. Swartz followed with a one-yard touchdown run to close the scoring in the third quarter.

Swartz found Barry on a 16-yard pass play to start the scoring in the fourth quarter. Robinson capped off the onslaught, finding paydirt from seven yards out with 1:54 left.

Mercyhurst had 252 yards on the ground and 276 yards passing. Jones II shouldered the load in the backfield, but got some help from Robinson, who finished with a career-high 51 yards on nine carries. Swartz and Vendemia combined to complete 17-of-20 passes for 276 yards and five touchdowns. Eight different receivers caught passes.

Nahum Purdie led Cheyney with 51 rushing yards. The Wolves managed to complete just 6-of-18 passes for 45 yards.

Defensively, redshirt junior Michael Foster led the Lakers with eight total tackles (seven solo). Junior Colin Kimball and redshirt junior Pat Behm had six stops apiece. Kimball and redshirt senior Serge Augustin led the way with two tackles for a loss while senior Dustin Galich had the only sack of the afternoon. Redshirt senior Mike Brown had his second interception of the season.

Isaiah Fleming and Monwell Brown led Cheyney with 10 total stops apiece.

The Lakers will go back on the road and will get back into conference play when they travel to PSAC newcomer Seton Hill next Saturday. It will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools in football. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.