Box Score The Misericordia University football team dropped a hard-fought 30-14 decision to Albright, Saturday afternoon in Reading.
 
Jeff Puckett led the Cougars with 116 yards rushing and a touchdown and Colton Pyne added a touchdown.
 
Michael Cheslock added 72 yards on seven carries for the Cougars.
 
Rob Hart and Sean Weg led the MU defense with eight tackles while Brian Hart and Zak LaNunziata both had seven stops.  Greg Zotian had 1.5 sacks.
 
Puckett gave the Cougars a quick first down on two carries on their opening drive, but they were forced to punt and Albright took over at their own 23.
 
Daniel Sobolewski gave the Lions a 3-0 lead when he nailed a 52-yard field goal with 7:23 to play in the first quarter.
 
Thomas Stelzer had an 18-yard catch to open the ensuing drive and Robin Custodio raced 24 yards to the Albright 40 yard line.  The drive stalled and Puckett punted to pin the Lions at their own seven.
 
Albright responded by covering 93 yards in seven plays to take a 10-0 lead with 1:41 remaining in the first period.
 
Following a Misericordia three-and-out, Albright took advantage of a blocked punt and scored on the second play of the second quarter for a 17-0 lead.
 
Misericordia took over near midfield after the teams traded punts and an Albright penalty moved the ball to the Albright 38.
 
The Lions halted the threat with an interception and moved into Misericordia territory where Sobolewski's 46-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright with 2:32 to go before halftime.
 
Kurtz rushed for 15 yards and two carries by Puckett moved the Cougars to the Albright 44, but the Lions defense stiffened and forced an MU punt.
 
Dom Picarillo jarred the ball loose from an Albright receiver and LaNunziata recovered in Albright territory and the half ended on a Misericordia incompletion.
 
The Cougars forced an Albright punt to start the third quarter and took over at their own 28.
 
Cheslock rumbled 46 yards to the Albright 25 and Puckett gained 12 yards to the 13 yard line.
 
Puckett was stopped short on fourth down at the Albright seven and a Lions' penalty gave them the ball at their own four.
 
The Lions used a 32-yard scoring strike to finish off a 96-yard drive for a 24-0 lead with 6:24 left in the third quarter.
 
Puckett's 13 yard run gave the Cougars a first down near midfield, but a holding penalty set up first and 20 from the MU 38.
 
Cheslock got nearly half the yardage back on first down and Puckett broke loose on third down for a 29 yard gain to the Albright 17.
 
A 14-yard gain by Puckett set up first and goal from the three and he plowed in from there on second down to get the Cougars on the board with 3:14 to go in the third.
 
Zotian and Brian Hart combined for two sacks to force an Albright punt and the Cougars started at their own 18.
 
Juwan Petties-Jackson hauled in a 43-yard pass to the Albright 39 and Kurtz followed with a 14-yard catch to the 25.
 
Following a third-down sack, Kurtz picked up 11 yards on a pass play, but was stopped short and Albright took over at its own 22 yard line.
 
The Lions marched 78 yards in seven plays to go ahead, 30-7, after LaNunziata blocked the extra-point.
 
On the ensuing drive, Brandon Leap hit Tyler Rowe for a 17-yard gain to the Misericordia 43.  Cheslock picked up six yards and an Albright penalty moved the ball to the Albright 36.
 
Cheslock and Leap combined for two carries to the 15 yard line, but an MU penalty backed it up to the 30.
 
Leap got the yardage back with a 15-yard strike to Rowe and Colton Pyne made a catch along the sideline to get to the eight.
 
Pyne made a diving catch in the end zone to make it 30-14 with less than two minutes remaining.
 
Misericordia will host Stevenson in the season finale, November 15 at noon at Mangelsdorf Field.