The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy broke open a close game with 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to defeat the Misericordia University football team in the season opener, 30-9, Saturday afternoon at Mangelsdorf Field.

Brady Williams threw for 238 yards (19-33) for the Cougars while Sam Gillison had seven catches for a team-high 108 yards, including a 48-yard reception.

Clayton Vleck led the team with 41 yards rushing on nine carries.

Nick Yeager led the Cougars with 13 tackles while John Pearson added 11 stops.

Matt Dinnocenti was perfect on three field goal attempts.

Trailing 10-9 midway through the third quarter, the Cougars forced a three-and-out and took over on their own 15-yard line.

The Mariners got the ball back deep in Misericordia territory following a blocked punt.

USMMA took advantage of the short field and went 27 yards in seven plays to take a 17-9 lead with 5:42 left in the third quarter.

MU's Chris Lynn's 58-yard punt on the ensuing possession pinned the Mariners at their own five-yard line, but USMMA marched 95 yards in 16 plays over 7:22 to take a 23-9 lead.

The Mariners added an insurance touchdown on a 55-yard run late in the fourth quarter.

Misericordia got on the board first on its second possession of the game.  After the team's traded fumbles, the Cougars took over on their own 46-yard line with 6:13 to go in the first quarter.

Dieter connected with Josh Dieter on a deep out down the right sideline to move to the USMMA 33-yard line.

A 10-yard grab by Dieter set up a first down at the Mariners' 23.

Williams and Vleck combined for eight yards on two carries, but the Cougars had to settle for a 37-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 3:06 to play in the opening quarter.

USMMA went ahead with 48-yard scoring drive to take a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter and that score stood until late in the first half.

Gillison out-leaped a pair of defenders for a 28-yard gain down the left sideline for a first down at the Mariners' 28-yard line.

Williams scrambled for seven yards for a first down the USMMA 18.  The drive stalled at the 10 and Dinnocenti' s 27-yarder got the Cougars within 7-6 with 3:14 left in the first half.

USMMA answered with a field goal as time expired in the first half to take a 10-6 lead.

The Cougars opened the second half with a lengthy scoring drive to get back within a point.

Vleck went around left end for seven yards to convert a first down and Williams scrambled to his right to find Gillison for 12 yards for a third-down conversion near midfield.

Isaiah Solomon followed with a juggling catch for a 48-yard gain to the USMMA six-yard line, but the Cougars against settled for a Dinnocenti field goal to pull within 10-9 late in the third quarter.

Misericordia is off next week and will host Widener, September 15.