ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University football team played its best game of the 2014 season on Saturday afternoon and was rewarded with a 28-0 shutout win over Clarion in front of more than 2,200 fans on Homecoming Weekend at Tullio Field. It was the first victory of the season for the Lakers, who improved to 1-4 overall and 1-3 in the PSAC West standings. The Golden Eagles lost their second straight game and dropped to 2-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play.

It was Mercyhurst's first shutout since blanking Lock Haven, 41-0, on September 25, 2010.

The Laker defense stymied the Clarion offense all afternoon, limiting the Golden Eagles to just 191 yards of total offense. Clarion was also held to just 4-of-17 on third down conversions and could not put any points on the scoreboard despite three trips in the red zone. Mercyhurst's defense, under the direction of defensive coordinator Jeff Gutowski, recorded a season-high four sacks, a season-high nine tackles for a loss, and also had a blocked punt that eventually led to a Laker touchdown.

Redshirt junior quarterback Brendan Boylan had the best outing of his career, posting personal-bests in passing yards (241) and passing touchdowns (3), while completing 14-of-25 attempts on the afternoon. He was also on the passing end of a 78-yard screen pass to sophomore running back Drew Robinson in the second quarter - the longest play from scrimmage for Mercyhurst this season and tied for the eighth-longest pass play in school history.

Boylan and the Lakers opened the scoring with 5:12 left in the opening quarter when the Laker signal caller hooked up with redshirt junior running back Brandon Brown-Dukes on a 19-yard shovel pass for a touchdown. After Boylan fumbled, but recovered, an exchange from center on the previous play, Laker head coach Marty Schaetzle called a timeout and drew up the play. With Clarion blitzing, Boylan found Brown-Dukes with a shovel pass and the Laker back did the rest, avoiding tackles, and scampering into the endzone for his first career touchdown reception.

Brown-Dukes, who missed the second half due to an undisclosed ailment, was limited to seven carries for 18 yards and two catches for 28 yards on the day.

But, Robinson picked up the Laker star.

With the Lakers facing a third-and-eight from their own 22-yard line, Boylan, under heavy pressure, set up a beautiful screen to Robinson. The New Castle, Pa., native went untouched through the middle of the field and then sprinted down the right sideline, outrunning Clarion defenders for the 78-yard touchdown. It was the longest pass play for Mercyhurst since Travis Rearick hooked up with Trevor Kennedy on an 81-yard touchdown pass against Bloomsburg in the Lakers' PSAC Championship win over the Huskies on November 13, 2010.

Robinson was not done.

With 1:12 left in the opening half, Robinson registered the team's longest carry of the season, a 17-yarder, that resulted in another six points for the Lakers and a 21-0 lead as the teams headed to the locker room for halftime.

Mercyhurst tallied its final points of the afternoon when Boylan tossed his third touchdown of the day, a 16-yard completion to redshirt sophomore Andrew Miller, with 3:17 left in the third quarter. It was Miller's first collegiate touchdown reception and he finished the day with his first two career catches for 28 yards.

Robinson finished the day with 46 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries and added 89 yards and one score on two receptions.

But, the story of the afternoon was the Laker defense. Clarion's 191 total yards was the fewest allowed by Mercyhurst since allowing 148 to Edinboro on November 2 of last season. It was just the fifth time since the Lakers' 2010 championship season that Mercyhurst has held a team to under 200 yards in a game.

Redshirt senior Curtis Hansford had his best day as a Laker, finishing with six tackles (five solo), two tackles for a loss, and one sack. Senior linebacker Garrett Wild also had a big day, collecting five tackles, two tackles for a loss, and blocked a punt that resulted in Mercyhurst's final points of the day. Freshman Michael Gonzalez had two tackles for a loss and his first career sack, while redshirt senior Nick Kurpakus and senior Vishawn Williams also sacked Clarion quarterback Darelle Carson on Saturday.

Carson had a rough day, completing just 9-of-29 passes for 113 yards. Bobby Thomas led the Golden Eagles on the ground with 42 yards on 11 carries.

Mercyhurst will make the short trip to downtown Erie to square off against crosstown-rival Gannon next Saturday, October 11. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. from Gannon University field. The Lakers are 11-5-1 lifetime against the Golden Knights, including a 51-21 victory over Gannon at Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium last season. In that contest, Mercyhurst broke a 27-year-old school record by recording 628 yards of total offense, 407 of which came on the ground - the highest total in a game since Mercyhurst moved to Division II.