ERIE, Pa. --- The Mercyhurst flag football team defeated Allegheny 38-19 on Thursday evening at Saxon Stadium. The Lakers' defense recorded three QB flag pulls for a loss and an interception returned for a touchdown, while its offense accumulated 365 total yards.
 
Allegheny started on offense after Mercyhurst won the coin toss and chose to defer, but the drive quickly stalled after a series of unsuccessful plays, including a significant flag pull for a loss by Milana Starostina.
 
The Lakers capitalized on the ensuing possession, with Ellie Schau completing a 23-yard touchdown pass to God'iss Santos at 10:32. Schau later connected with Imani Frazier for a 25-yard touchdown, extending the Lakers' lead. Allegheny struggled to advance, highlighted by a 51-yard rush from Maddie Krieger, which was negated by subsequent losses. Mercyhurst closed the period with a commanding 13-0 lead.
 
Mercyhurst struggled to maintain its lead as Allegheny's Victoria Badowski played prominently in the second quarter, completing multiple passes, including a 16-yard connection to Rosa Monarch. Defensive efforts were highlighted by the Lakers' Katherine Johnson, who contributed to stopping Badowski's rush for a loss early in the quarter.
 
Allegheny capitalized on turnovers, with Badowski intercepting a pass from Schau, setting up favorable field position. Despite a late 9-yard rush by God'iss Santos, Mercyhurst's offense could not close the gap in the quarter, as Allegheny outscored them 13-6, making it 19-13 in favor of the Lakers at halftime.
 
The third quarter featured significant defensive plays and strategic advances by the Green and Blue. JoAnna Saad and Santos executed early rushes, each gaining 6 and 10 yards, respectively, setting the stage for further advancements.
 
A crucial 16-yard pass from Schau to  Santos positioned the team at Allegheny's 2-yard line, where Maria Osagie-Erese completed a 2-yard rush to score a touchdown at 10:31. Allegheny struggled offensively, with Maddie Krieger facing multiple losses, including a notable 15-yard setback. The Lakers' defensive pressure remained consistent, contributing to Allegheny's negative yardage across several plays.
 
The fourth quarter featured a significant momentum shift as the Lakers extended their lead over Allegheny. Victoria Badowski of Allegheny connected with Jasmyn Fisher for a 17-yard touchdown at 10:15, narrowing the score. Defensive efforts by the Lakers, including a QB flag pull for a loss by Katherine Johnson, limited Allegheny's advances.
 
With under a minute to play, Cameryn Mullaly picked off a pass from Allegheny. Mullaly began to return the ball, lateraling it to Frazier who took it to the endzone, capping off the Lakers 38-19 victory.