Mercyhurst Game Notes
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WEST CHESTER, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University football team, in search of its first victory of the young 2014 season, will travel to ninth-ranked West Chester on Saturday afternoon for a contest against the Golden Rams at John A. Farrell Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:06 p.m. and fans can hear all of the action on Mercyhurst University's radio station - WMCE 88.5 FM and AM 1530, or online at wmce.fm beginning with the pre-game show at 11:45 a.m.

The contest is the SPORTSfever Television Network College Football Game of the Week, with fans being able to view the game on a regional or national level. Fans can watch the game live on ESPN3 beginning with the pre-game show at 12:00 p.m.

Please read the complete release to check your local listings for viewing in your area.

Mercyhurst and West Chester have met just once in the series history with the Golden Rams knocking off the Lakers, 45-13, on November 7, 2009. West Chester outgained Mercyhurst in that contest by a 458-198 margin.

Last week, the Lakers dropped a 27-21 decision at Bentley to open the 2014 regular season. Mercyhurst could manage just 150 yards of total offense on the day, the fewest by a Laker squad since recording 133 total yards in a 42-10 loss at IUP on October 18, 2008. It also marked the first time that Mercyhurst was held under 200 total yards in a game since Gannon held the Lakers to 193 yards on October 6, 2010 - a 14-10 Gannon victory.

The Lakers opened the game by driving 69 yards on eight plays, capped off by a Brandon Brown-Dukes two-yard touchdown run with 10:26 left in the first quarter. However, Mercyhurst could pick up just 81 more yards the rest of, what was, a hazy, hot, and humid afternoon in Waltham, Massachusetts. Meanwhile, the defense, which was on the field for nearly 38 minutes, allowed 403 yards of total offense to the Falcons in the loss.

Brown-Dukes finished the day with 58 yards on the ground, moving him into second place on the school's all-time rushing list with 2,361 yards. He surpassed Craig Woodard (1992-95) with the effort last Saturday and trails only Richard Stokes (2005-08) in the career annals. Stokes finished his career with 3,381 yards in a Laker uniform.

Redshirt sophomore Zach Emerick got the start at quarterback for the Lakers and completed 14 of 24 passes for 106 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also ran for a six-yard touchdown with just over four minutes left in the first half to give the Lakers a 14-10 lead at that point.

It was the third consecutive season that Mercyhurst has dropped the season opener. However, in the previous two seasons, the Lakers have gone on to win 16 of the other 20 games. Since joining the PSAC in 2008, Mercyhurst is just 2-5 in season openers. In openers against other schools from the PSAC (all games in week two), the Lakers are 4-2 since joining the league. The Lakers have also won six consecutive contests against teams from the PSAC East, with the last setback coming in the final game of the 2011 season against Shippensburg.

West Chester, meanwhile, won its season opener by a 35-30 margin over New Haven. The Golden Rams racked up 361 yards of total offense, but allowed 385 in the five-point victory. Quarterback Sean McCartney was 17-of-31 for 262 yards and four touchdowns in the West Chester victory.

The Golden Rams are coming off of a 13-2 season in 2013, advancing to the NCAA Semifinals before bowing to Lenoir-Rhyne, 42-14, last December.