Saturday, October 31
12:30 PM
Lehigh University
4-4 , 2-1
33
vs
28
Georgetown (Family Weekend)
4-5 , 2-2
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Georgetown
0
7
7
14
28
Lehigh
10
14
3
6
33
Lehigh marks return home with 33-28 win over Georgetown
10/31/2015 4:58:00 PM | Football
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh football team jumped out to a 17-0 first-half lead and wouldn't look back, holding off a second-half comeback attempt from Georgetown to beat the Hoyas 33-28 Saturday afternoon at Goodman Stadium. In his first-career start, freshman Brad Mayes impressed, passing for 214 yards, 154 coming in the first half. Freshman Dominick Bragalone also had a big day on the ground, rushing for a career-high 169 yards on 20 carries.
Sophomore Troy Pelletier was Lehigh's leading receiver, finishing with 11 catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, senior Randall Lawson tallied a team-high 11 tackles while junior Colton Caslow added 10. The Mountain Hawks posted a season-high five sacks, led by two from senior Noah Robb.
With the victory, Lehigh improves to 4-4 overall and 2-1 in the Patriot League and surpasses its win total from 2014. Georgetown falls to 4-5, 2-2 in the league.
"It was a good win for our guys today," Lehigh head coach Andy Coen said. "We didn't make it easy but I really loved how the kids kept battling and battling. We made the plays that we needed to and we're very fortunate to come out with a win."
Freshman Luke Christiano turned the game's opening kickoff into a 30-yard return to the Lehigh 37-yard line. The Mountain Hawks capitalized, as Mayes found sophomore Gatlin Casey on the first play from scrimmage over the middle for 33 yards to the Georgetown 30-yard line. The Hoyas eventually forced a long field goal, but freshman Ed Mish kicked a career long 41-yard field goal to make it 3-0 with 12:40 remaining in the first quarter.
Sacks were a theme of the first quarter as Lehigh sacked Georgetown twice on the Hoyas' opening possession. Senior Matthew Laub and Robb came up with the sacks, helping force a punt.
It didn't take long for the Mountain Hawks to extend their lead, quickly moving the ball downfield. Lehigh gained first downs on four consecutive plays, a 23-yard catch over the middle from Pelletier, consecutive runs of 10 and 14 yards by Bragalone and a 32-yard reception from senior Derek Knott down to the two-yard line. One play later, freshman Micco Brisker ran it in for his first-career touchdown. The extra point made it 10-0 with 6:40 on the first-quarter clock.
On the ensuing drive, Georgetown gained two first downs into Mountain Hawks' territory, but Lehigh's third sack of the first quarter, this one by senior Greg Palma, forced the Hoyas' second punt in as many possessions.
Lehigh was forced to punt for the first time on the ensuing possession. Georgetown's next drive ended in yet another Robb sack, giving the Mountain Hawks the ball back early in the second quarter.
The Mountain Hawks' offense took advantage, driving 80 yards in 3:18. Casey was the story of the drive, making a leaping catch near midfield on third-and-10, making another third-and-seven catch on the near sideline then making a strong block on the ensuing 11-yard touchdown reception from Pelletier. Casey's block sprung him on the outside for the score, making it 17-0 with 9:45 on the clock. Bragalone also had a 37-yard run on the drive.
Georgetown followed with its best drive of the half, going 65 yards on 10 plays, including three third-down conversions. One was a third-and-17 completion down to the Lehigh six-yard line. Three plays later, Georgetown's Harry Glor caught a deflected pass for the touchdown, pulling the Hoyas within 17-7 with 4:50 remaining in the second quarter.
Lehigh immediately had an answer, going 75 yards in 12 plays, methodically moving the ball downfield. The drive ended with consecutive receptions from Pelletier, 13 yards then five yards, to give the Mountain Hawks a 24-7 lead with just 1:08 left in the second, which proved to be the halftime score.
Mayes finished the first half 13-of-18 passing for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Bragalone eclipsed 100 yards in the first half, reaching 106 on just 10 carries while Pelletier led the receivers with eight catches for 69 yards. Casey also had three catches for 52 yards.
Lehigh forced a punt on the opening drive of the second half and the Mountain Hawks' offense responded by going 44 yards. The big play was a 41-yard rush by Bragalone, eventually setting up a 25-yard field goal from Mish to make it 27-7 with 9:49 on the third-quarter clock.
Georgetown answered with a 79-yard drive, taking 3:57, as Glor's second touchdown reception of the day pulled the Hoyas within 27-14 with 5:46 left in the third.
The Mountain Hawks looked to answer, reaching the Georgetown 33-yard line, but Bragalone was stopped short of the first down on a fourth-and-two, giving the Hoyas the ball back with 3:06 remaining.
Georgetown promptly staged an eight-play, 68-yard drive, capped off by three straight receptions from Luke Morris of six, five then 19 yards to pull the Hoyas within 27-21 early in the fourth quarter.
"Going into the game I had been telling everyone that this is the best Georgetown team we've faced in my tenure and that certainly bared out today," Coen said. "They were athletic and they were physical and had some good schemes and made some big plays that got them back into the game. They also really controlled the ball quite a bit. It seemed like we didn't have much of the ball at all in the third quarter."
The Hoyas attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by the Mountain Hawks and they converted. Mayes marched Lehigh down to the one-yard line, highlighted by a 22-yard strike to Pelletier down to the Georgetown nine-yard line. On fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, junior quarterback Nick Shafnisky entered the game and ran it in to give the Mountain Hawks a 33-21 advantage. The ensuing two-point conversion was no good as Lehigh held a 12-point lead with 11:18 on the clock.
The Hoyas responded by driving 76 yards, but it took 16 plays and 6:18 off the clock. Eventually, Georgetown was stopped on a fourth-down play as the incomplete pass gave Lehigh the ball back with 4:54 remaining.
After a three-and-out, the Hoyas made one last push, driving 57 yards in 1:34 as a 17-yard Jake DeCicco touchdown reception, one play after a 43-yard DeCicco catch, pulled Georgetown within 33-28 with 1:41 on the clock.
Lehigh junior Brandon Leaks recovered the ensuing onside kick, then Shafnisky led the Mountain Hawks to a first down, including a fourth-down scamper around the edge, to seal the victory.
Final yards were 453-436 in favor of Georgetown. The Hoyas held a 355-214 edge through the air while the Mountain Hawks outgained Georgetown on the ground, 222-98.
"We ran the ball very efficiently," Coen said. "We threw the ball. Brad (Mayes) had a great first day as a starting quarterback, throwing a lot of really nice balls and throwing them on time. Going through the reads the proper way. I was very impressed by that.
Coen concluded, "The bottom line is that we came out with the win and we're excited about moving on to the next game."
Lehigh remains home next Saturday to face the Holy Cross Crusaders on Military Appreciation Day. Kickoff is set for just after 12:30 p.m. Tickets for the game are still available, and may be purchased in one of three ways: by visiting the Lehigh ticket office located in Stabler Arena, by calling (610) 7LU-GAME, or on-line anytime at LehighTickets.com.
EXTRA POINTS… Saturday's game was part of Family Weekend and it was also the ZTA Pink Game promoting breast cancer awareness… Georgetown quarterback Kyle Nolan is the great nephew of Lehigh Hall of Famer, the late J. Daniel Nolan '58… The Lehigh department award for the outstanding first year male student-athlete is presented annually in Nolan's name… the Mountain Hawks paired brown jerseys with brown pants for the first time in recent memory… Lehigh wore its white helmets for the third straight game, and the first time at home since 1984… the Mountain Hawks have now won 15 consecutive games against the Hoyas since Georgetown joined the Patriot League in 2001… Lehigh eclipsed 200 yards rushing as a team for the third time this season… Shafnisky was limited by injury but carried five times for 12 yards and a touchdown… Lehigh's five sacks were the most since recording five against Bucknell in 2012…Saturday's attendance was 7,950.
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Team Stats
GU
LEHIGH
Total Yards
453
436
Pass Yards
355
214
Rushing Yards
98
222
Penalty Yards
54
35
1st Downs
21
22
3rd Downs
10
5
4th Downs
2
2
TOP
33:32
26:28
1st Quarter
GU 0, LEHIGH 3
LEHIGH - Mish, Ed 41 yd field goal 5 plays, 39 yards, TOP 2:20
GU 0, LEHIGH 10
LEHIGH - Brisker, Micco 2 yd run (Mish, Ed kick), 6 plays, 81 yards, TOP 1:57
2nd Quarter
GU 0, LEHIGH 17
LEHIGH - Pelletier, Troy 11 yd pass from Mayes, Brad (Mish, Ed kick) 9 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:18
GU 7, LEHIGH 17
GU - Glor, Harry 5 yd pass from Nolan, Kyle (Darmstadter, H. kick) 10 plays, 65 yards, TOP 4:55
GU 7, LEHIGH 24
LEHIGH - Pelletier, Troy 5 yd pass from Mayes, Brad (Mish, Ed kick) 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:42
3rd Quarter
GU 7, LEHIGH 27
LEHIGH - Mish, Ed 25 yd field goal 6 plays, 44 yards, TOP 2:50
GU 14, LEHIGH 27
GU - Glor, Harry 1 yd pass from Nolan, Kyle (Darmstadter, H. kick) 8 plays, 79 yards, TOP 3:57
4th Quarter
GU 21, LEHIGH 27
GU - Morris, Luke 19 yd pass from Nolan, Kyle (Darmstadter, H. kick) 8 plays, 68 yards, TOP 3:11
GU 21, LEHIGH 33
LEHIGH - Shafnisky, Nick 1 yd run (Mayes, Brad passfailed), 8 plays, 42 yards, TOP 3:37
GU 28, LEHIGH 33
GU - DeCicco, Jake 17 yd pass from Nolan, Kyle (Darmstadter, H. kick) 6 plays, 57 yards, TOP 1:33
Game Leaders
CMP
18
TD
2
YDS
214
INT
0
Players Mentioned
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