Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Mercyhurst University Athletics

doug altavilla
22
Winner Shepherd SHEP 1-1
17
Mercyhurst MER 1-1
Winner
Shepherd SHEP
1-1
22
Final
17
Mercyhurst MER
1-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
SHEP Shepherd 9 6 7 0 22
MER Mercyhurst 3 7 7 0 17

Game Recap: Football | | Craig Butler, Director of Athletic Communications

Laker Football Falls to Shepherd

ERIE, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst University football team saw their comeback bid come up just short as they dropped a 22-17 decision to visiting Shepherd Saturday afternoon at Saxon Stadium. 

Trailing 22-17 with 12:39 to play, the Lakers took over at their own 10-yard line. After a penalty and long completions from Doug Altavilla to Clay Waldron and Dustin Shoaf, Mercyhurst found themselves first and goal at the Shepherd six. Garrett Owens ran the ball to the one on second down, but Doug Altavilla was stopped on the one twice to turn the ball over on downs. 

The defense forced the Rams to a three-and-out and set the offense up with the ball on the Shepherd 35. The Lakers moved the ball to the 11-yard line but were again turned away on fourth down. The Rams were able to bleed the last 4:10 off the clock to secure the win. 

The Rams held a 15-10 advantage at halftime and extended their lead to 22-10 with a touchdown on their first possession of the third quarter. Mercyhurst answered midway through the third. The Lakers went on a seven-play, 76-yard drive that was keyed by a 32-yard catch and run by Austin Hence to set up a Doug Altavilla one-yard touchdown rush to trim the lead to 22-17. 

The Rams got on the board first when they forced a fumble and the Lakers fell on it in the endzone for a safety at the 11:17 mark of the first. After a Jake Tarasovitch interception and return put the Lakers in business at the Ram 27, Brendan Cole converted on a 25-yard field goal to give the Lakers a 3-2 advantage. 

Shepherd retook the lead just before the end of the first quarter on a 17-yard touchdown pass. Michael Lowery connected on his first career touchdown pass, a 13-yard strike to Austin Hence to put the Lakers back on top 10-9 with 2:02 remaining in the second. The Rams struck once more before the half to take a 15-10 edge into the break. 

Doug Altavilla passed for 205 yards and in the process became Mercyhurst's all-time leading passer. He also ran for a score. Hence recorded six catches for 111 yards and a score. Clay Waldron added five catches for 96 yards. 

Hunter Merritt tallied 11 tackles to lead the defense. Tarasovitch tallied 10 tackles and an interception. Ayron Thompson added nine stops including two for a loss. 

The Lakers are back in action next Saturday when they travel to Bloomsburg for a 2 p.m. matchup with the Huskies.

Print Friendly Version