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EAST STROUDSBURG - Garrett Owens ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the second half, as Mercyhurst rallied from a 13-0 halftime deficit for a 25-20 win at East Stroudsburg University in non-conference football on Saturday night at Eiler-Martin Stadium.

Redshirt junior tailback Jaymar Anderson had 22 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown for ESU (1-2), which played its home opener under the lights for the 11th straight season.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Ben Moser, making his first career start, was 13-for-31 for 196 yards and a 36-yard touchdown to sophomore wide receiver Elijah Rehm, which pulled the Warriors within 25-20 with 2:58 left before Mercyhurst recovered an onside kick and ran out the remainder of the clock.

Anderson had his third straight 100-yard game to open the season, joining Andre Castiglioni (2000 - 4 games), Pete Radocha (1976) and Robert Healy (2016) as the only Warriors to do that in 44 seasons under head coach Denny Douds.

He entered ranked first in the PSAC East, third in the PSAC and 12th in DII in rushing (138.0 ypg) through the first two games. Following this weekend, he is second in the PSAC with 135.7 ypg (73 carries, 407 yards, 3 TD).

Senior wide receiver Tim Wilson was Moser's top target, with six catches for 98 yards. Rehm had three for 50, and sophomore Javier Buffalo had one catch for 25 yards.

Owens had 15 carries for 133 yards in the second half, replacing starter E'Andre Smith (13 carries, 60 yards, TD), who was injured early in the fourth quarter.

Doug Altavilla was 19-for-30 for 216 yards and three interceptions, but caught the go-ahead touchdown pass - a 61-yarder - from wide receiver Brad Novak (3 catches, 34 yards) which gave Mercyhurst an 18-13 edge with 10:50 remaining.

The Lakers scored 25 straight second-half points before Moser's TD pass to Rehm finished a six play, 72-yard drive and closed the margin late in the contest.

ESU's defense forced five turnovers - interceptions by sophomore cornerbacks Andre' Gray and Jamal Cooley, and redshirt junior free safety Billy Inge III, and two fumbles, forced by senior linebacker Dakota Everett and Inge, and recovered by redshirt senior linebacker Sekou Jones and junior defensive end Mike Zakrzewski.

Everett had two blocked extra points, which appeared to be the difference before Novak's long TD pass to Altavilla one play after an ESU fumble following a long kick return. Everett (9 tackles), Jones and Inge (8 each) and Gray (6) led the Warriors tacklers.

Sophomore kicker Jordan Walters was 2-for-3 on field goals, connecting from 29 yards on the first drive of the game and 27 yards early in the second quarter, to give the Warriors a 6-0 edge.

Anderson made it 13-0 with a one-yard TD run, capping an eight-play, 58-yard drive after Inge's interception, and went over the 100-yard mark for the contest.

Mercyhurst was kept off the board until its first possession of the second half, when Smith ran for a 20-yard TD to get within 13-6 after Everett blocked the extra point.

The Warriors led by that margin entering the fourth quarter, when Owens scored on a 53-yard run to cut it to 13-12 after a six-play, 94-yard drive.

Everett's blocked extra point kept ESU in front by one, but kicker Brendan Cole forced a fumble and Mercyhurst cashed in with a trick play on the next play.

Owens gave Mercyhurst a 25-13 lead with a five-yard TD run with 4:32 left.

Mercyhurst finished with 451 yards - 174 rushing on 40 carries, and 277 passing - while ESU had 394 yards, 186 on 36 carries with 208 passing.

The Lakers held the ball for more than 22 minutes in the second half, building a 33:11 time of possession.

Redshirt junior punter Sam O'Brien landed four of his seven punts inside the 20-yard line for ESU, and converted a fake punt with a 12-yard pass to redshirt sophomore safety Andrew Linder deep in the Warriors' territory in the second quarter.

ESU, which won 20-16 at Fairmont State and fell 38-14 at No. 6-ranked IUP to open the year, both 2016 NCAA Division II Playoff qualifiers, hosts Shippensburg (3-0) next Saturday at 2:05 p.m. on Family Weekend at Eiler-Martin Stadium.

GAME NOTES
* Moser was the 34th different QB to start for the Warriors under Douds (44th season), and the 8th freshman.