ERIE, Pa. –The Mercyhurst football team scored their first win of the 2025 season in Saturday's home opener at Saxon Stadium, 48-14 over New Haven.

Mercyhurst (1-1, 0-0 NEC) scored early and often to secure a 24-point victory over the NEC newcomer. The game, however, will not count towards Mercyhurst's conference record.

Adam Urena passed for 347 yards, his second game with over 300 yards through the air and completed 22-of-28 pass attempts. Dylan Evans was the leading receiver for a second consecutive game with a career-high 157 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions.  

The Lakers had the run game operating efficiently as well, as Brian Trobel rushed for three touchdowns and 114 yards. In total, Laker rushers combined for a season-high 269 yards.

Senior Rylan Davison was credited with the first touchdown of the game, recovering a fumble from Evans in the endzone, and giving the Lakers a 7-0 lead less than four minutes into regulation.

New Haven (0-2, 0-0 NEC) responded quickly, driving 76 yards in eight plays as quarterback AJ Duffy found Joshua Tracey in the endzone.

From there, the Laker defense stepped up, forcing New Haven into six punts and a turnover on downs before their second touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Mercyhurst scored on its next two drives. Trobel took a handoff from Urena six yards into the endzone to give the Lakers a 13-7 lead. The drive took less than three minutes, as the Lakers moved the ball 75 yards in five plays.

Evans notched his touchdown in the second quarter as he took a handoff from Urena, misdirecting the defense and running for eight yards for his second touchdown of the season.

The Lakers kept up the defensive pressure on the next drive. Anthony Mackey recorded a TFL on fourth down to give the ball back to the Green and Blue.

Ayron Rodriguez scored the final touchdown of the first half for the Lakers, a 17-yard run through the middle of the field.

The Lakers continued the pressure on both sides of the ball in the second half. Trobel scored the next two touchdowns for the Lakers, including taking a direct snap and finding the endzone from 31-yards out to make it a 41-7 game.

Tight End Ashton Wilson caught his first career touchdown as the Lakers' final score of the day.  

The Chargers finally got the better of the Laker defense in the fourth quarter. Duffy kept the ball for a QB sneak at the one-yard line, following a 49-yard completion to Kevonne Wilder.

The Lakers and the Chargers exchanged interceptions in the dwindling minutes of the fourth quarter, but neither team was able to score again.

Travell Wright led the way defensively for the Lakers with five tackles. UAlbany graduate transfer Cedric Carter recorded his first career interception. 

Mercyhurst scored its most points against a DI opponent and held a DI foe to 14 points for the first time in the FCS era.

The Lakers are back in action next Saturday at Sacramento State. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. Pacific/6 p.m. Eastern.