READING, Pa. – Despite driving inside the Albright College 30-yard line five times, the Lycoming College football team fell victim to a second-quarter flurry from Albright in a 17-3 Pretzel Bowl loss at Shirk Stadium on an overcast, Saturday, Sept. 17, in Middle Atlantic Conference action.
 
The day started inauspiciously for the Warriors (1-2 overall, 0-2 MAC), as they drove to the one-yard line before the ball was fumbled out of the end zone. However, the Warriors picked up a pair of turnovers, the second on an interception from freshman Korahn Williams (Reading, Pa./Reading) that was returned to the Albright 41-yard line. Eleven plays later, Lycoming moved the ball to the seven-yard line, where freshman Jamie Fisher (Folsom, Pa./Ridley) connected on a 24-yard field goal with 11:07 left in the second quarter.
 
Albright (1-2 overall, 0-2 MAC) took the lead with its next drive, driving 60 yards in six plays before Roemello Monroe scored from 10 yards out with 7:41 left in the second quarter. After Lycoming was forced to punt, the Lions drove 71 yards on nine plays, with Alec Vignola finding Vinny Williams for a 32-yard touchdown reception with 1:01 remaining in the half.
 
In the second half, neither team was able to garner much traction, but Lycoming found itself knocking on the red zone door during an 11-play drive that included a 25-yard reception by freshman Dante Gipson (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown Regional) that brought the ball to midfield. Senior Blake Bowman (Valley View, Pa./Tri-Valley) added two rushes and a completion for 17 net yards to help Lycoming get the ball to the 21, but a pair of incompletions led to a field-goal attempt that flew wide right.
 
After a pair of failed drives, Lycoming got the ball at its own 23-yard line and drove 50 yards on 12 plays to set up a 44-yard field goal from Kevin Goetz with 13:04 remaining in the fourth quarter.
 
Albright's defense ended Lycoming's next two drives in nine combined plays before nearly putting a cap on the game with 1:44 left, driving to the two-yard line before junior Mike Ward (Edgewater, Md./South River) recovered a fumble. Lycoming moved quickly, with sophomore Nick Costello (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) catching a 43-yard pass to get the ball to midfield before the drive eventually stalled at the Albright 23 with 17 seconds left.
 
The Warriors finished with 296 yards of total offense, with senior Chase Whiteman (Gettysburg, Pa./Gettysburg Area) finishing 16-of-39 for 212 yards and an interception. Bowman finished with 16 carries for 64 yards and Costello caught six passes for 88 yards.
 
Albright finished with 414 yards of total offense and held control of the ball for 35:26 thanks to the effort of Monroe, who ran 25 times for 117 yards and a touchdown. Vignola finished 19-of-27 for 253 yards and a touchdown in his first career start and Williams finished with five catches for 85 yards and a score.
 
Williams was named Lycoming's Pretzel Bowl MVP, as he finished with four tackles, a fumble recover and an interception. Ward notched seven stops and a fumble recovery and junior Johnathan Zedar (Dalton, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) added seven stops and a tackle for loss to go with a breakup. Junior Malik Thomas (Delran, N.J./Delran) added four stops, a sack and two tackles for loss and junior Mike Palmer (Chester, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) also added a sack.
 
Kevin Mason led the Lions with 11 tackles and Rick Kuhn notched two sacks, six tackles and he forced a fumble. Will Harrison notched an interception and Ben Ortiz picked up a fumble and notched six tackles.
 
The Warriors get back on the field on Saturday, Sept. 24, when they head to Misericordia for a 1 p.m. Middle Atlantic Conference game.