The Misericordia University football team used a punishing running attack in a 31-20 Homecoming win over Albright, Saturday at Mangelsdorf Field.
 
The Cougars ran for 241 yards and held the ball for nearly 40 minutes to improve to 2-2 overall and 1-2 in the MAC.
 
David Cromwell ran for 147 yards and a touchdown and Jake Barnett added 79 yards and two scores.
 
Nick Neidlinger tied a school single-game record with three field goals.
 
Albright took advantage of an interception deep in MU territory on the game's first possession and scored on their first play from scrimmage to take a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.
 
The teams traded punts on their next possessions before MU put together a lengthy scoring drive.  Two penalties moved the Cougars into Albright territory and Cromwell picked up five yards to convert a 3^rd-and-1 to the 18.
 
Dallas Engel rolled to his right and hit Carlos Artson for a diving catch to set up a first-and-goal.  The drive stalled and Neidlinger connected from 21 yards to get MU within 7-3 with 2:52 left in the first quarter.
 
The Cougars got the ball back deep in Albright territory on Andrew Lee's interception. 
 
Engel connected with Willie Wallace for 14 yards on the right hash to the 17.
 
Neidlinger nailed a 26-yard field goal to pull MU within 7-6 less than a minute into the second quarter.
 
The Cougars forced another punt to set up a long scoring drive.
 
Facing 3^rd-and-5, Colten Peischl made an over-the-shoulder catch behind the line of scrimmage and scampered down the right sideline to the 43-yard line.
 
Cromwell went off left tackle for nine yards and Barnett gained 19 yards on three carries to move to the Albright 41.
 
Cromwell had a 13-yard catch and went off right tackle for 10 yards to set up first-and-goal at the 4.
Barnett went over the left side for a two-yard TD and Engel added the two-point conversion on a quarterback draw for a 14-7 lead with 5:51 left in the first half.
 
Lee recovered a fumble at the Albright 4-yard line on the ensuing series and Cromwell went in from two yards out to give MU a 21-7 lead with 4:56 to play in the first half.
 
Albright answered with a touchdown to get within 21-14 with less than a minute to play in the first half.
 
Carlos Artson fielded the kick-off on a bounce at the MU 20 and raced 30 yards up the middle to midfield.
 
Engel connected with Willie Wallace three times to mover to the Albright 20 and Neidlinger drilled a 37-yard field goal as time expired for a 24-14 halftime lead.
 
Cromwell and Barnett combined for 47 yards on seven carries with Barnett going up the middle for five yards to extend MU's lead to 31-14 with 1:56 left in the third period.
 
Albright scored with 2:30 to play, but the Cougars ran out the clock on the next series.