ERIE, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst University football team sent out their seniors in style as this year's senior got their fourth straight win in the Niagara Cup game 28-7 over crosstown rival Gannon.
The teams played a scoreless first half, but the Lakers didn't waste any time getting on the board when Doug Altavilla connected with Clay Waldron for an 80-yard scoring strike at the 10:58 mark of the third quarter to go up 7-0.
Gannon tied the game at seven with a 35-yard touchdown pass of their own with 4:08 remaining in the third. Mercyhurst wasn't done scoring in the third.
Garrett Owens put the Lakers ahead for good at the 1:24 mark with a seven-yard touchdown run. The Mark Shafer point after made it 14-7.
Doug Altavilla connected on a quick hitter to his brother Nick Altavilla for 14-yard touchdown extending the lead to 21-7 with 10:37 to play. Owens closed the door on the Golden Knights with a 19-yard touchdown run with 1:22 left in the fourth.
The Laker defense was suffocating making 10 tackles for loss in the game including four sacks. Alex Zacharyasz tallied nine stops to lead the defensive effort. Corbin Kessler added five stops with three of them being solo tackles for loss. Bradley Burrows also had five stops including a pair of sacks.
Doug Altavilla had his best passing game of the season going 15-of-20 for 312 yards and two touchdowns. Waldron hauled in six passes for 182 yards averaging 30.3 per catch. His 182 yards is the most by a Laker since Stephen Yarbrough finished with 238 receiving yards against Cal U on Nov. 8, 2014.
Garrett Owens picked up 104 yards on the ground and a pair of touchdowns while also catching five passes for 77 yards.
The Lakers hit the road next Saturday when they travel to Clarion for a 12 p.m. showdown with the Golden Eagles at Memorial Stadium.
