READING, Pa. – The Albright football team dropped a high-scoring 42-35 affair to FDU-Florham in MAC play at Shirk Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
 
With the loss, the Lions drop to 2-7 overall on the season and 1-6 in MAC play. Meanwhile, the Devils improved to 5-3 overall and 4-2 in conference action.
 
Senior quarterback Todd Shelley went 17-of-31 through the air for 217 yards while matching his career-high of three touchdowns and threw one interception. Sophomore running back Kareem McCoy led the Lions in rushing with 85 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown in his first collegiate start. Senior wide receiver Carmine Azzari led the way with a career-high nine receptions and 86 yards while catching two touchdowns. Senior Michael Starkey posted a career-high 71 receiving yards on four catches and caught his first collegiate touchdown pass.
 
FDU-Florham wasted little time driving down the field on their opening possession of the game as they went 63 yards in nine plays to take the first lead of the game at 7-0 at the 11:15-mark of the first quarter. Following a Lions three-and-out, the Devils once again raced down the field and extended their lead to 13-0 on a three-yard rushing touchdown on third and goal at the 5:56-mark. After each teams traded three-and-outs, the Lions had their first sustained drive of the contest as the second quarter began.  Albright got on the board as Azzari made a brilliant catch in the right corner of the endzone to make it a 13-7 at the 11:59-mark of the second quarter. The Devils responded with a touchdown of their own on the next drive to go back up 20-7 with 8:29 left in the first half. The back and forth contest continued as Shelley found a wide open Starkey in the middle of the end zone to cut the Devils lead down to 20-14 at the four-minute mark. Unfortunately for the Lions, they were unable to stop a potent FDU-Florham offense as they extended their lead back to 13 at 27-14 in the final minute of the first quarter.
 
Senior linebacker Sam Viera jumpstarted the Lions with an interception on their next drive and set the Lions up with solid field position. McCoy powered the Lions down the field on their short distance to the endzone and junior wide receiver Lucas Roselli capped the drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown to cut the Devils lead down to 27-21. McCoy followed on the next drive with his first collegiate rushing touchdown to put the Lions ahead at 28-27 late in the third quarter. After the Devils took the lead back with a touchdown and two-point conversion, Shelley capped off the next drive with a short two-yard touchdown pass to Azzari to tie the game back at 35. FDU-Florham took the lead back for good at the 5:09 mark of the fourth quarter, and did not look back from there as Shelley was intercepted on the ensuing Lions drive. FDU-Florham was able to run out the final four minutes of the contest after the interception.
 
Senior linebacker Daniel Vital led all tacklers with 14 tackles (five solo) and Viera followed with 13 (four solo). Connor Perez and Adam Reece each caught a pair of touchdown passes in the win while quarterback Anthony Caserta went 27-of-37 for 264 through the air with fourth touchdowns and one interception.
 
The Lions return to action on Saturday, November 13th as they will host Lebanon Valley for senior day at 12 p.m.