The Misericordia University football team opened the season with a tough 17-14 loss at Alfred State, Sunday.

Michael Gawlik ran for 122 yards and Matt Maransky added 93 yards as the Cougars rushed for 249 yards as a team.

The Pioneers took a 3-0 lead on a 25-yard field goal late in the first quarter.

The two teams traded punts early in the second quarter before the Cougars put together a 71-yard drive that appeared to give them the lead.

Gawlik had two carries for 32 yards and a defensive holding penalty moved the Cougars to the Alfred State 37-yard line.

Maransky went off right tackle for 17 yards to set up first-and-goal and Gawlik went up the middle for 10 yards on the next play.  The ball came loose and was ruled a touchback to halt the MU threat.

The Pioneers went 65 yards on the ensuing drive to take a 10-0 lead into halftime.

Misericordia forced a punt on the opening possession of the second half and marched 92 yards to get on the board.

Gawlik picked up 23 yards on two carries and Eric Jeffries gained nine yards on three straight runs to set up fourth-and-one at the MU 40.

Gawlik gained nine yards to keep the drive alive.

Maransky picked up nine yards on third down to set up another fourth-and-one at the Alfred State 42.

Maransky went 37 yards around the right end to set up first-and-goal at the five.

Gawlik went in for the score on the next play to get within 10-7 with 9:17 left in the third quarter.
 
Alfred State answered with a long scoring drive to take a 17-7 lead late in the third quarter.

The Pioneers threatened again early in the fourth quarter, but Tim Hill made his first career interception to give MU the ball at their own one-yard line.

Dallas Engel connected with Anthony DePalma and Gawlik for first-down receptions and Maransky went up the middle for 15 yards to the Alfred State 29.

On third-and-nine, Engel found Owen McGuffey deep down the right sideline for a 28-yard touchdown to complete a 99-yard drive and get the Cougars within 17-14 with 7:56 to go.

MU got the ball back twice in the closing minutes, but lost it on an interception and turned it over on downs near midfield with less than a minute to play.

Eric Glass led the Cougars with nine tackles and Justin Moreno had eight stops.

Kobe Martin had seven tackles and T.J. Prather and Logan Baxter both had five tackles and combined for 4.5 tackles for loss.

The Cougars will host Keystone in their home opener, Saturday.