ERIE, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst football team suffered a 35-34 loss to Clarion in heart-breaking fashion during a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division contest on Saturday at Tullio Field

With 26 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Mercyhurst quarterback Doug Altavilla threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brad Novak. The Lakers (1-3, 0-1) elected to go for the two-point conversion -- and the lead -- but a pass fell incomplete as CU held on for the win.

For the second straight week, Altavilla eclipsed the 300-yard plateau. He completed 17 of 25 passes for 306 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Wide receiver Brad Novak was the recipient of two TD passes, finishing with four catches for 97 yards. Wide receiver Danavian Clay and running back Richie Sanders had four receptions each -- for 54 yards each -- while wide-out Brian Matthews had an 89-yard reception.

Also for the MU offense, running back Drew Robinson had 15 carries for 96 yards.

On defense, defensive back Akeel Marsh and defensive back Dante Redwood totaled 10 and nine tackles, respectively. Linebacker Austin Drew recorded a sack and defensive lineman Benji Abercrombie recovered a fumble.

The Lakers held a 28-7 advantage in the third quarter before Clarion battled back with 38 consecutive points.

Altavilla threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Novak, finishing off a 13-play, 85-yard drive, as the Lakers took the lead on the game's first possession. Then, in the second quarter, Altavilla found Matthews for an 89-yard touchdown pass -- the third-longest pass play in program history -- as MU went up, 14-0.

Clarion quarterback Connor Simmons got his team on the board with 1:08 left in the first half on an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kevin Genevro before an aggressive Laker team marched 68 yards in seven plays to push its lead back to 14 points on a 1-yard run by Altavilla.

The Lakers took their 28-7 advantage in the third quarter on a Sanders 1-yard run; then came the Golden Eagle comeback.

Simmons had a 1-yard TD run for CU and then found Genevro with a 2-yard pass as the Eagles closed within 28-21 in the third quarter.

In the fourth, running back Delrece Williams had a 2-yard TD run as the Eagles tied the contest at 28-28. Another 1-yard run by Simmons put the visitors ahead with 6:08 to go.

After a shanked punt by Clarion, the Lakers gained possession at the CU 37-yard-line. Four plays later, Altavilla found Novak on a post pattern -- literally -- as Novak was tackled into the goal post after making the catch in the end zone. The failed two-point attempt occurred after that and, then, an onside kick by Mercyhurst was unsuccessful before the Eagles ran out the clock.

Simmons was the leader on offense for Clarion, going 21-for-38 with 313 yards, two TD passes and two TD runs. Williams ran 24 times for 211 yards. Wide receivers Matt Lehman and Genevro had seven catches apiece, finishing with 134 and 109 yards, respectively.

For the CU defense, linebacker Layne Skundrick recorded 10 total tackles, defensive linemen Matt Koerper and Saif Khan tallied sacks, and defensive back Quinlin Lambert made an interception.

The Lakers will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 1, with a 12 p.m. PSAC West contest at Gannon.