FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – The Mercyhurst flag football team ended its inaugural season in the first round of the ECAC Tournament, falling to seventh seed Saint Joseph's, 19-3 in overtime.
 
The Hawks and the Lakers traded interception on their opening drive, foreshadowing what would come over the next 60 minutes. The Lakers tallied five interceptions on the day.
 
Mercyhurst got on the board first in the opening quarter, capitalizing on the interception by Madison Nuessel. Quarterback Ellie Schau ran it in for the score. The Lakers converted on the extra point to take a 7-0 lead.
 
To end the opening stanza, the Lakers forced a St. Joe's punt, but couldn't extend their lead in the first 15 minutes, giving the Hawks the ball back on downs.
 
However, the Lakers opened the second quarter with a bang as Isabella Iaquinta recorded a pick six to put the Lakers up 13-0.
 
God'iss Santos caught the third interception of the day just five minutes into the second quarter, but the Lakers couldn't capitalize on the possession.
 
Just over two minutes later, the Hawks got on the board posting a pick six of their own. The extra point was good to cut the Lakers lead to 13-7. The teams would go into the halftime break with the same score.
 
After the intermission, St. Joe's started on offense, but the Lakers defense came up big again, posting their fourth interception of the game, this time by Payton Logan. However, the drive resulted in a turnover on downs for the Lakers.
 
Regaining possession shortly, the Hawks threw a fifth interception of the game, picked off by Alexis Summers.
 
The offensive struggles continued for the Lakers though, getting into the redzone, but failing to score off the turnover once again.
 
With under two minutes to play, Mercyhurst had a 4^th-and-3 and the St. Joe's 23-yard line, but a run by Schau was ruled short of the line to gain.
 
St. Joe's took over and made quick work to move down field. With five seconds remaining on the clock, St. Joe's found the endzone, tying the game at 13 and forcing overtime.
 
Mercyhurst got the ball first in the extra period, failing to convert on fourth and inches, giving St. Joe's the opportunity to complete the comeback, despite the flurry of turnovers by the Hawks in regulation.
 
The Lakers got stops on first and second down, but a pass into the endzone on third down by the Hawks was complete to secure the win for St. Joe's, 19-13.