INDIANA, PA – The IUP defense gave up just 146 total yards while the Crimson Hawks ran for 215 on the ground alone in a dominating 41-7 defeat of Mercyhurst in the annual IUP Athletic Hall of Fame Game at Miller Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
 
The IUP offense was well balanced in its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West opener, with Luigi Lista-Brinza (McKees Rocks, Pa. /Central Catholic) rushing for 103 yards and three touchdowns on just 16 carries. Quarterback Chase Haslett (Clayton, Mo./Clayton) put up his most efficient performance of the season, finishing 12-of-15 for 157 yards and two touchdowns. His main target was receiver Drew Carswell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Sto-Rox), who caught four passes for 80 yards and a score.
 
The Crimson Hawks' defense received solid performances from a number of players, including Jemal Averette (Upper Marlboro, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) who had two tackles-for-loss and a sack, Cameron Casciole (Easton, Pa. /Easton Area) and Ackeno Robertson (Philadelphia, Pa. /Parkway Northwest) who each forced a fumble, and Kevin Clarke (West Mifflin, Pa. /West Mifflin) who led the way with six total tackles.
 
That stingy defense gave up just 69 total yards to Mercyhurst in the first half alone, helping the Crimson Hawks build a 34-0 halftime lead.
 
The win was the Crimson Hawks' second straight, as they improved to 3-1 on the year and 2-1 in the PSAC. Mercyhurst is still winless, falling to 0-4 and 0-3.
 
It didn't take long for IUP to get on the board, with Andrew DeGol (Bellwood, Pa. /Bellwood-Antis) forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff to put the Crimson Hawks in business at the Mercyhurst 11-yard line. Lista-Brinza ran it in from there on the very first play to put IUP on top 6-0.
 
After a Lakers drive that ended in a missed 36-yard field goal, IUP put together a 10-play, 80-yard drive that resulted in a one-yard scoring plunge by Lista-Brinza to make it a 13-0 ballgame midway through the first. The key play on the drive was a 23-yard pass play from Haslett to Carswell on a third and six.
 
The Crimson Hawks scored three more times in the first half - a 15-yard fade pass from Hasett to tight end Brock DeCicco (Jefferson Hills, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson), a 41-yard dodging touchdown jaunt by Lista-Brinza, and a 13-yard pass from Haslett to Carswell.
 
IUP scored on its very first possession of the third quarter, a seven-yard run by Chris Temple (Malvern, Pa. /Great Valley), to go up 41-0. Temple, Lista-Brinza's top backup, finished the game with 38 yard on 11 carries. Darian Bradley (Midland, Pa./Beaver) also saw plenty of work on the second half, running 14 times for 66 yards.
 
In addition to Carswell, Haslett spread to ball around to five other receivers. Receiver Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central) caught three passes for 32, almost breaking two of them for longer gains down the sideline. Fullback Nick Dubowski (Erie, Pa. /Cathedral Prep) and receiver Tristan Davis (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne) each caught two passes, and to go along with DeCicco, fellow tight end Kevin Edwards (Allison Park, Pa./North Allegheny) caught one for 16 yards.
 
That IUP defense allowed just 10 first downs and 29 rushing yards on 26 attempts, limited All-PSAC West running back Brandon Brown-Dukes to just 16 yards on 14 carries. Eight different Crimson Hawks helped make stops in the backfield, including Clarke, Jordan Batts (Homestead, Pa. /Jeannette), Ackeno Robertson (Philadelphia, Pa. /Parkway Northwest), Takhi Turner (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp.), Myles Catlin (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Obama), Jeff Palmer (Cranberry Twp., Pa. /Seneca Valley) and Ali Muhammad (Kingston, Pa. /Wyoming Valley West).
 
Three Mercyhurst quarterbacks combined to go 11-of-24 for 117 yards, getting sacked a total of three times.
 
The point total tied for the highest for the Crimson Hawks this year, as they also netted 41 in their season-opening win over Saint Augustine's.
 
IUP will take its 3-1 record on the road next week to do battle with Edinboro (0-4, 0-3). Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.