WHEELING, W.Va. -- The Mercyhurst football team took the field for the first time in 511 days and fell to Shepherd 38-14 Saturday at Wheeling Island Stadium.
The Lakers took the opportunity to get a lot of players on the field both offensively and defensively.
Shepherd took an early lead with a 13-yard rush from Ty Hebron. Cameron Barmore tied the game up with a three-yard touchdown reception from Michael Lowery with 2:58 left in the first.
The Rams scored the only points of the second quarter with a field goal with 8:44 remaining.
In the third, Shepherd extended the lead to 24-7 with two scores less than three minutes apart. Russell Pytlak hauled in a 10-yard pass from Mitchell McKenzie to trim the lead to 24-14 at the 2:33 mark of the third.
The Rams scored two touchdowns in the fourth to set the final.
Lowery finshed the day 8-of-13 for 67 yards and touchdown while McKenzie completed 7-of-9 for 85 and a score. Dustin Shoaf and Tevon Tate each hauled in five passes to lead the Laker. Austin Kim broke off a 63-yard rush to lead the Laker ground attack.
Joe Impavido and Ryan Funa each recorded five solo tackles to lead the Laker defense. Zakri Thomas recorded an interception for Mercyhurst.
The Lakers return to action on April 24 when they take on Gannon at Veteran's Stadium in Erie.
