Box Score The Misericordia University football team suffered a 44-0 loss to 17^th-ranked Widener before a Homecoming crowd, Saturday afternoon at Mangelsdorf Field.

The Pride opened a quick 20-0 first quarter lead and stretched it to 37-0 at halftime to improve to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the MAC.

Misericordia is 1-4 overall and 1-3 in the MAC.

Widener rushed for 374 yards while holding the Cougars potent running attack to just 45 yards.

Colton Pyne led the MU offense with four receptions for 49 yards while first year quarterback Brandon Leap was 5-9 for 44 yards.

Trailing 20-0 midway through the first quarter, the Cougars put together their best drive of the first half.

Juwan Petties-Jackson returned the kick-off 23 yards to the MU 27.

Jeff Puckett connected with Pyne on a quick out for 14 yards and a first down at the 38.

Ryan Kurtz went 12 yards up the middle for a first down at midfield.

After a holding penalty backed the Cougars up, Puckett hit Tyler Rowe for 11 yards back across midfield.

Puckett then hit Randy Custodio on a slant for a first down at the Widener 35.

Kurtz hauled in a 35 yard scoring pass from Puckett down the right sideline, but the play was negated by a facemask penalty on MU and the drive stalled.

Misericordia put together another deep drive late in the third quarter following a Widener punt to the Widener 46.

Leap found Pyne for 19 yards to the 27 and connected again for 11 yards and a first down at the Widener 16.

Leap hit Alec Rhoads for nine yards and went off right tackle for a first and goal at the Pioneers one yard line.

The Widener defense stiffened and thwarted the drive at the three yard line.

The MU defense tallied five sacks, including solo sacks by Donald Bender, Fredo Santorelli, Josh Mercado and Anthony Rand-Willever.

Rob Hart led the Cougars with seven tackles while Anthony Vega had six stops, including two for loss.

Misericordia will travel to Lebanon Valley, Saturday.