The Lock Haven University football team will head back on the road this week after playing two straight home games. The Bald Eagles travel to Mercyhurst University on Saturday, October 6 at noon for the fifth meeting all-time between the two schools.

Full Game Notes (PDF)

Mercyhurst Game Notes (*when available)

Week 6: Lock Haven at Mercyhurst (PSAC West)
NOON kickoff / Tullio Field (2,300, Artificial FieldTurf) / Erie, Pa.

Setting the stage:
Lock Haven will head back to the road after hosting two straight games at Hubert Jack Stadium.  The Bald Eagles opened the season with three straight road games and will travel to Erie, Pa. to take on the Mercyhurst Lakers on Saturday (October 6) at 12 p.m. (PSAC West).

Lock Haven is coming off a 49-6 loss to Shippensburg. LHU is 0-5 and 0-2 in PSAC West action.

Mercyhurst (4-1, 2-0 PSAC West) is coming off a 36-10 win over Cheyney last Saturday. The Lakers are averaging over 400 yards of offense and 36.6 points per game this season.

The series:
Lock Haven has never beaten Mercyhurst in the short series history.  The two teams began playing annually in 2008, when Mercyhurst joined the PSAC as a full-time member.  Since that time, Mercyhurst has won all four matchups, including last year during week three at Hubert Jack Stadium (42-3).

Last time vs. Mercyhurst:
The Lakers led last year's game 14-3 at halftime and LHU was able to keep it close heading into the fourth quarter.  The Lakers scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

After a scoreless first quarter, Mercyhurst scored first on a seven yard touchdown pass with 6:59 to play in the first half.  LHU answered with an 11 play, 66 yard drive capped off by a 23 yard field goal from Noah Heimer. The drive took 5:37 off the clock, but Mercyhurst returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to take the 14-3 halftime lead.
Brandon Brader rushed for 71 yards in the game and QB Jarryd Burkett threw for 121 yards on 12 completions.  Jesse Hoover hauled in three passes for 22 yards in the game.

Raymond Mosby led LHU with seven tackles and a forced fumble.  Five of Mosby's seven stops were solo.

Tyrail Morgan and Marc Olivio made six and four tackles, respectively in the game.

Watch / Listen / Live Stats:
There are several formats in which you can catch all the action on Saturday.

LIVE STATS – Live stats are available at the following link. *Live Statistics are not official stats. http://athletics.mercyhurst.edu/livestats/football/xlive.htm

LISTEN LIVE - ESPN Williamsport will broadcast the game at the following link (Stream 6). Join Joe Putnam (play-by-play) and Ian Catherine (analyst) for the call. http://player.streamtheworld.com/liveplayer.php?callsign=LOCKHAVEN

LHU – MU storylines, streaks and sidebars:
• Saturday's game with No. 21 Shippensburg marked the second time in three games that the Bald Eagles played a nationally ranked opponent.  LHU faced IUP during week three, who was ranked No. 17 at the time.  IUP is currently ranked No. 22 and Shippensburg is now No. 16.
• 2012 marks the first time since 2005 where Lock Haven played three road games to open the season.
• Redshirt-junior tailback Brandon Brader, who has 1,456 career rushing yards (10th all-time), scored his first two career touchdowns week four vs. Edinboro.
• Freshman Linebacker Tashawn Bunch led LHU in tackles last week with eight stops.  It was the second time this year that Bunch has led the team in tackles.
• Fifth-year senior QB Jarrett Kratzer made his 18th career start vs. Shippensburg
• Nine different receivers had a reception last week vs. Shippensburg and 10 different receivers had at least one catch week four vs. Edinboro.
• Matt Kirchner and George Christas lead LHU in tackles with 32 and 31, respectively.
• After dropping its season opener to Notre Dame College (Ohio), Mercyhurst has won four straight games.
• Mercyhurst has scored at least 22 points in every game this season and has scored 36 points or more in four of five games.
• The loss to SHIP marks the 47th straight for Lock Haven, which breaks the all-time NCAA Division II record for consecutive losses (Minnesota Morris, 46 losses from 1998-2003).

LHU Honors Faculty at Faculty Appreciation Day:
LHU honored its faculty members during last Saturday's game with Shippensburg by celebrating Faculty Appreciation Day at The Haven. All of Lock Haven's student-athletes wanted to take time to “THANK” the 260-plus LHU faculty members that have helped shape the lives of 25,000 living alumni.

LHU Coaching Staff Promotes Coach to Cure MD:
LHU head coach John Allen and his coaching staff helped promote “COACH TO CURE MD” last Saturday. Coach Allen and the LHU staff joined coaches all over America in wearing a patch on their left arms to help defeat a terrible genetic disorder. It's called COACH TO CURE MD. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is working to raise awareness and research funding to cure Duchenne (doo-SHEN) Musular Dystrophy, the most prolific genetic killer diagnosed in children. Visit, CoachToCureMD.org for more information.

Community Day a success:
LHU's week four home-opener against Edinboro marked Lock Haven's second-annual “Community Day.” Because of the generosity of the sponsors, admissions and parking was free for all.
The 2012 Community Day sponsors were Bill Macintrye Chevrolet Buick, Nittany Travel, the LHU Bookstore, 92.1 WSQV / AM 1230 WBPZ and The Express.

Playing the East:
Shippensburg marked Lock Haven's second PSAC East opponent of 2012. LHU fell to East Stroudsburg 31-0 in Week 2 and the Bald Eagles are scheduled to close out the season at home vs. Cheyney on November 10.

Brader leading the way on offense:
Tailback Brandon Brader leads the way for the Bald Eagles on offense. The returning All-PSAC Offensive Second Team selection has rushed for 272 yards in four games (54.4/game) and two TDs. He now has 1,456 career rushing yards, which is 10th on the all-time list. He is just 42 yards from ninth all-time (Pat Cahill, 1,498 from 1984-87). Last year Brader had five 100-yard rushing games.

Underclassmen thriving on defense:
One of the bright spots for LHU this season has been the play of its underclassmen on defense.  The Bald Eagles top three leading tacklers are all new to their roles this season, but are performing like seasoned vets.  Sophomore linebacker Matt Kirchner leads the team in tackles through five games with 32 (14 solo).  Kirchner is closely followed by sophomore safety George Christas, who has 31 stops (18 solo) this season.  Freshman linebacker Tashawn Bunch is currently third on the team with 27 tackles (18 solo).  The trio had combined to make zero starts before this season.

Allen's second year as head coach:
2012 marks the second season for head coach John Allen. The 1996 James Madison graduate was no stranger to LHU when he took over the program in March 2011, as he was previously on the Bald Eagle coaching staff as an assistant from 1996-2003. While at LHU, he assisted in all phases of the game including wide receivers and special teams' coordinator (1996-99), defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator (1999), offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2000-03). Allen served as the head coach of NFL Europes Berlin Thunder in 2007 and prior to coming to LHU he was the coordinator for player development at Penn State.

Trio of All-PSAC selections:
Redshirt-junior Brandon Brader returns to carry the load for Lock Haven's running game. Last year he rushed for 942 yards on 253 carries. His 94.2 yards/game were the fifth-best in the PSAC and his 942 total yards were the most of any Bald Eagle since the 1999 season. Brader was a second-team All-PSAC selection last year.  His 253 carries was the most by an individual back in the PSAC.

Along with Brader, two other All-Conference selections from a year ago return including junior guard Anthony Herko and senior defensive tackle Skyler Wool.

Herko was the leader on the offensive line last year for LHU as he started all 10 games.

Wool, who was nominated for the Gene Upshaw Division II Linemen of the Year award last year returns after a breakout 2011 season. Wool got the starting nod in week two and never looked back last year; making 31 tackles (22 solo), 5.5 TFL, one sack and he added a fumble recovery.

Back on the road:
After this week's game with Mercyhurst, LHU will travel to California (Pa.) during week seven for its second straight road game to take on the nationally ranked Vulcans.  The game will mark the fifth road game in the first seven weeks for The Haven.

The Bald Eagles will return home week eight (October 20).

Homecoming:
Lock Haven's game on October 20 at Hubert Jack Stadium will mark the 2012 Homecoming Game for LHU.  The Haven will welcome Clarion University to The Nest for a 12 p.m. kickoff.  The game is one of many events that will be taking place at The Haven throughout Homecoming weekend.

Snapping the streak:
Saturday's loss to Shippensburg marked Lock Haven's 47th consecutive loss, which is the longest active losing streak in college football. It also broke the all-time Division II record for most consecutive losses (Minnesota-Morris, 46 losses, 1998-2003). The Haven's last win came in the 2007 season finale at Clarion, when LHU beat Clarion 17-14 in OT. LHU is 1-57 over the last six seasons and is in search of its first winning season since 1981.