LYNDHURST, Ohio -- For a night game to open the season on Thursday evening, the busiest light bulbs in operation in Korb Field were those on the scoreboard. (Box)

Notre Dame ran wild, was deadly in the aerial game, and came through with numerous big plays on defense en route to a 59-42 victory over Mercyhurst (Pa.).  The home-field victory leads to NDC starting a season off with a 1-0 record for the first time in program history.

[Postgame Notes]

The season-opening affair on a beautiful, clear, late-summer evening, was replete with big plays, momentum-shifting turnovers and mostly … points.

Notre Dame and Mercyhurst combined to throw 111 points up on that ever-shifting Korb Field scoreboard.  The two teams combined for 916 total yards in a game that saw the Falcons do the most damage.

“It was a see-saw battle,” said Notre Dame Head Coach Adam Howard.  “We were able to do some things early, and that gave our guys confidence.”

NDC set single-game program records for points, plays from scrimmage (83), rushing yards (367) and touchdown passes (five) in a game that saw NDC roll up 533 total yards, its second-highest single-game total.

Junior running back Pedro Powell bulled his way to 243 rushing yards on 35 attempts, pacing NDC in a game in which Mercyhurst committed eight turnovers. The Lakers coughed up six fumbles, losing all six, and quarterback Anthony Vendemia threw two interceptions

Mercyhurst marched 69 yards in its first drive, using a pair of big plays to pick up yards by the bunch.  Brandon Brown-Dukes rambled and pinballed his way to a 29-yard run in the Lakers' second play from scrimmage.  Two plays later quarterback Anthony Vendemia rifled a long pass to Vladimir Rockwho had gotten behind NDC's deep defenders.  The ball landed safely in Rock's hands as he glided across the goal line for the first points of the game.

A resilient Notre Dame squad then orchestrated its own drive across the sun-and-shade striped surface at Korb Field.  Sophomore quarterback Ray Russ authored a six-play, 75-yard drive, culminating with a game-tying TD toss from Russ to h-back Jack Foy.  That score tied the game, 7-7, at the 9:38-mark.

That score seemed to give Adam Howard's troops a considerable shot of confidence and momentum.  The Falcon defense pitched a three-and-out on the Lakers' next drive, and the Notre Dame offense came out and again worked the ball into the end zone on a Ray Russ pass.  That score gave the Falcons a 14-7 lead.

The Blue & White extended that lead to 21-7 after return man Paris Bruner fumbled the ensuing kickoff, leading to an eight-play, 34-yard TD drive for the Falcons.   Another Ray Russ touchdown capped off the drive, with the freshman signal caller finding Mikhail Morgan in the right corner of the end zone.

The first quarter would end with Notre Dame owning a 14-point lead, 21-7.  Russ was 7-of-8 for 66 yards in his first frame as a collegiate starter, and he led a Falcon offense that rolled up 177 total yards in the opening 15 minutes.

Early in the second, Russ connected with Pedro Powell, who weaved his way through the Laker defense, 26 yards to paydirt.  That strike, part of a nine-play, 70-yard drive, gave NDC a 28-7 lead.

The Lakers would cut into that lead with a quick, three-play drive, posting a '7' on the Korb Field scoreboard with a 20-yard touchdown pass at the 10:42-mark.

In the middle of the second quarter it was the NDC defense that came up big to put seven of their own points on the board.  Falcon freshman defensive end Darius James -- a newcomer from Springfield, Ohio -- was in on the front end of the key defensive play when he put heavy pressure on Vendemia, who dropped back to pass.  Under duress, Vendemia chucked a pass downfield, and cornerback Spencer Krebs slipped into the path of the ball, came away with the interception and darted 51 yards and into the end zone.

Not to be denied their half of the action in what had clearly developed as an opening-night shootout at Korb Field, Merchyhurst responded with a four-play, 57-yard drive, culminating with a 12-yard TD pass from Vendemia to Devyn Woods.  Mercyhurst converted a two-pointer on a run to pull within 13 points, at 35-22.

Chris McClearn nailed a 26-yard field goal before the end of the first half, and the high-flying Falcons -- with 347 yards of total offense -- went into halftime with a 38-22 lead.

Notre Dame was the first to light the board in the second half.  The Falcons added seven points when Powell rammed into the end zone from one yard out.

NDC then successfully pulled off an onside kick, got the ball back and managed yet another TD, this time when Ray Russ found Colton Wallace in the back of the end zone.  That score made it 52-29.

A 23-point lead did not equate to the Lakers being dead and buried.  The visitors battled back with touchdowns at 12:27 and 8:06 in the fourth quarter.  That brought Mercyhurst within 10 (52-42) at the eight-minute mark.

Two key first downs by the NDC offense and then a nice punt by Rob Partridge pinned Mercyhurst back at its 4-yard line with 3:14 remaining.

Notre Dame then forced another turnover -- the Lakers' eighth of the game -- and the Falcons capitalized when Powell bolted around the left side of the line and into the end zone for NDC's eighth TD of the night.

For the game, NDC rushers combined to carry the ball 58 times for 367 yards, an average of 6.3 yards per attempt.  Karl Jean had a career day, bowling his way to 98 yards on 14 carries.

In the passing game, it was a gutty and efficient performance by Russ that led to a program-record five aerial scores for the NDC offense.  The 6-foot sophomore went 18-of-25 for 166 yards, and he spread his touchdowns around to four different receivers.  Colton Wallace (five catches, 42 yards) caught two of those TD passes.  Jack Foy caught one, and he finished with a game-high seven receptions on the night.

The Notre Dame offensive line also had a good game, opening multiple holes for Powell and Jean and not allowing a sack in the game.

The Falcon defense was paced by Mo May (nine tackles, interception returned for a TD, forced fumble, fumble recovery) and by Darius James (six tackles, 2-1/2 sacks, forced fumble, fumble recovery).

Notre Dame went 9-of-16 on third down conversions, while holding Mercyhurst to a 2-for-10 mark.  The Falcons won bi in time of possession, holding the ball for over 36 minutes (36:24).