The Misericordia University football team gave rookie head coach Steve Cushing his first career victory with a convincing 42-21 win over Albright, Saturday at Mangelsdorf Field.

After Albright took a 7-0 lead on its first possession, the Cougars scored 42 unanswered points and led 42-7 early in the fourth quarter.

Jacob Hunter threw for four touchdowns and rushed for 104 yards and Angelo Fluri added a rushing touchdown for the Cougars.

Jacob Hoy and Jordan Alston both had two touchdown receptions and Jordan Chmielewski returned a blocked punt for a score.

Connor McLaughlin was perfect on seven extra-point attempts.

Gavin Morris led the defense with nine tackles and Nathan Malarkey had seven stops.  Ethan Kryman had two sacks and a forced fumble and Aaron Green added an interception.

The Cougars moved into Albright territory on the opening drive on the legs on Davon Reams, but eventually turned the ball over on downs.

Albright went 62 yards in five plays to take a 7-0 lead just over five minutes into the game.

The Cougars answered with a lengthy scoring drive to tie the score.  Hunter's keeper up the middle gave MU a first down near midfield and he connected with Hoy on the right sideline to convert a 3^rd-and-three to the Albright 39.

Hunter scrambled for a 15-yard gain and then connected with Anthony Rucci for 12 yards over the middle to convert another third down to the Lions 12.

Hunter hit Hoy on a slant pattern for an eight-yard score to pull the Cougars even, 7-7, with 2:26 left in the opening period.

Albright drove into Misericordia territory on the next drive, but the MU defense stiffened and the Cougars took over on downs at their own 31 early in the second quarter.

Hunter scrambled around the right end for 32 yards to move the Cougars to the Albright 13.  Fluri capped the drive with a two-yard TD run to put MU in front, 14-7, with 9:26 left in the second quarter.

Kryman's sack led to an Albright punt attempt on the next series and Chmielewski blocked the kick and scooped it up for a 12-yard TD and 21-7 lead with 5:50 remaining in the first half.

The Cougars forced an Albright punt and took over on their own 31 with just :41 to play in the opening half.  Hunter hit Hoy along the right sideline for 14 yards to the 45 and then found Jassan Whittaker deep down the left sideline to the Albright 28.

Hunter escaped pressure before dumping a pass to Hoy for 15 yards to the 13 and a pass interference penalty in the end zone moved the ball to the two-yard line.

Hoy caught a short TD pass on the next play for a 28-7 MU lead with :07 to before halftime.

Albright ran a fake punt on its first possession of the second half and the Cougars took over at their own 48. 

Facing 3^rd-and-12, Hunter avoided pressure to find Reams on a short pass and cutback to his right for a 19-yard gain to the Albright 24.

On second down, Hunter hit Alston in stride and he broke a tackle at the five-yard line to go in for the score to give MU a 35-7 lead.

The teams traded interceptions in the fourth quarter to give MU the ball deep in Albright territory.

Hunter rolled out to his right and found Alston in the back of the end zone for a 21-yard scoring strike and a 42-7 lead with 11:28 left in the game.

Albright tacked on two scores in the final 6:13 to account for the final margin.

The Cougars will travel to Widener next week and will host Alvernia, September 20.