Saturday, September 8
Bethlehem, Pa.
12:30 PM
Lehigh University
1-1
9
vs
31
Villanova
2-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Villanova
7
13
11
0
31
Lehigh
3
0
0
6
9
No. 12/11 Villanova upends Lehigh, 31-9
9/8/2018 5:21:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh's defense held its own throughout most of day against No. 12/11 Villanova but an uncharacteristically tough day for the Mountain Hawks' offense resulted in a 31-9 Wildcats win Saturday on Fan and Alumni Appreciation Day at Goodman Stadium.
Senior Ed Mish gave Lehigh the early lead with a 21-yard field goal in the first quarter before the Wildcats reeled off 31 straight points. The Mountain Hawks scored their lone touchdown on a 26-yard pass from senior Brad Mayes to junior Devon Bibbens with 5:12 to play.
Villanova ran 74 total plays for 405 yards of total offense, while the Wildcats, fresh off a win over FBS member Temple last week, limited Lehigh to just 176. The Wildcats (2-0) held a 33:56-26:04 advantage in time of possession.
Lehigh (1-1) battled defensively, racking up four sacks and 10 more tackles for loss, but fell victim to a couple big plays.
Senior linebacker Mark Walker led the Mountain Hawks with 11 tackles, including a sack and three tackles for loss. Safety Sam McCloskey added eight tackles and three pass breakups.
"I thought defensively, we did a great job, they keep growing and getting better and better," Lehigh head coach Andy Coen said. "The disappointment this time around was that we weren't able to move the football. We weren't able to run the ball at all until the end of the game and if we don't have that balance, our offense isn't very successful."
After the teams traded punts to open the game, Lehigh's defense came up with the first big play as junior Keith Woetzel picked off Zach Bednarczyk at the Lehigh 38. The Mountain Hawks marched 58 yards in 14 plays, with senior Dominick Bragalone converting a 3rd-and-3 and a 4th-and-2 before Lehigh had to settle for Mish's first field goal of the season.
Villanova answered by scoring on three of their next four possessions, as the Wildcats took a 7-3 lead on a Justin Covington five-yard touchdown run. Facing a 3rd-and-16 on Villanova's next possession, Bednarczyk hit Jarrett McClenton for a 62-yard catch-and-run to extend the Wildcats lead. Bednarczyk hit Ryan Bell for a four-yard touchdown to give Villanova a 20-3 lead with 6:04 to go in the half. That was the score at halftime, with Lehigh limited to just 67 yards of offense through 30 minutes.
The Wildcats tacked on a Drew Kresge field goal on their first drive of the third quarter and built their lead to 31-3 after Bednarczyk and McClenton combined on a 28-yard touchdown plus a two-point conversion pass to Matt Gudzak.
Mayes completed 18-of-35 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown on Saturday. Behind a strong second half, Bibbens hauled in five passes for 73 yards and the Lehigh touchdown. Senior Conner Bianchini added four receptions for 22 yards.
Lehigh mustered just 32 yards on the ground, with Bragalone limited to 18 on seven rushes and freshman Rashawn Allen carrying nine times for 24 yards.
(9/8/2018) Football vs Villanova, 9-8-18
Bednarczyk completed 16-of-29 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns, along with the one interception. McClenton caught six for 114 and two scores, while Jalen Jackson was the top rusher with 69 yards on 12 carries.
"The kids fought their tails off. That's what's most important," Coen said. "I told the team that they did everything they could. I was happy with how they competed. Last year's team didn't compete very well under these situations, so I think it's a positive with our defense and our offense is still young, and we'll get better."
The Lehigh-Villanova game was presented by Northampton and Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol Administrations with the Center for Humanistic Change.
Lehigh and Northampton Counties Drug & Alcohol Divisions plan, coordinate, fund and monitor drug and alcohol services for their respective counties through contracts with local providers. These services include prevention education, intervention programs, and both inpatient and outpatient treatment. If you or a loved one has a substance use disorder, there is help available through your county Drug & Alcohol Division. They can answer your questions, help coordinate services, and provide funding for treatment. In Lehigh County, call 610-782-3555; in Northampton County, call 610-829-4725. The Center for Humanistic Change is a not-for-profit agency that gives community members the knowledge and tools they need to make better-informed and more positive life choices. For 39 years, CHC has developed and delivered high quality prevention education and life skills programming in the Lehigh Valley. CHC, through funding from both counties, has educated thousands throughout the valley about the opioid crisis through HOPE (Heroin & Opioid Prevention Education), focusing on the fact that, "Yes, it CAN happen to you."
The Mountain Hawks will play their first FBS opponent in 15 years next Saturday when Lehigh visits Navy. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network with audio coverage on Fox Sports Radio 1230 and 1320.
EXTRA POINTS… Senior Ed Mish averaged 43.3 yards on a career-high 10 punts, including a 55-yarder… junior Colin Nace and sophomore Erik Slater each had 1.5 sacks, for slater, the first of his career… Lehigh has now lost seven straight games against Villanova and eight straight against CAA opponents… with his first quarter field goal, Mish is now 20 points behind Erik Bird's career kick-scoring record… with six tackles, Woetzel is now at 100 for his career… Lehigh participated in the Game Day Challenge, a friendly nationwide competition for colleges and universities to promote waste reduction at their football games… Lehigh recognized its 1973 Lambert Cup championship team at halftime Saturday... the 1973 team was the first Lehigh team to play in the NCAA playoffs...Saturday's attendance was 5,104.
Senior Ed Mish gave Lehigh the early lead with a 21-yard field goal in the first quarter before the Wildcats reeled off 31 straight points. The Mountain Hawks scored their lone touchdown on a 26-yard pass from senior Brad Mayes to junior Devon Bibbens with 5:12 to play.
Villanova ran 74 total plays for 405 yards of total offense, while the Wildcats, fresh off a win over FBS member Temple last week, limited Lehigh to just 176. The Wildcats (2-0) held a 33:56-26:04 advantage in time of possession.
Lehigh (1-1) battled defensively, racking up four sacks and 10 more tackles for loss, but fell victim to a couple big plays.
Senior linebacker Mark Walker led the Mountain Hawks with 11 tackles, including a sack and three tackles for loss. Safety Sam McCloskey added eight tackles and three pass breakups.
"I thought defensively, we did a great job, they keep growing and getting better and better," Lehigh head coach Andy Coen said. "The disappointment this time around was that we weren't able to move the football. We weren't able to run the ball at all until the end of the game and if we don't have that balance, our offense isn't very successful."
After the teams traded punts to open the game, Lehigh's defense came up with the first big play as junior Keith Woetzel picked off Zach Bednarczyk at the Lehigh 38. The Mountain Hawks marched 58 yards in 14 plays, with senior Dominick Bragalone converting a 3rd-and-3 and a 4th-and-2 before Lehigh had to settle for Mish's first field goal of the season.
Villanova answered by scoring on three of their next four possessions, as the Wildcats took a 7-3 lead on a Justin Covington five-yard touchdown run. Facing a 3rd-and-16 on Villanova's next possession, Bednarczyk hit Jarrett McClenton for a 62-yard catch-and-run to extend the Wildcats lead. Bednarczyk hit Ryan Bell for a four-yard touchdown to give Villanova a 20-3 lead with 6:04 to go in the half. That was the score at halftime, with Lehigh limited to just 67 yards of offense through 30 minutes.
The Wildcats tacked on a Drew Kresge field goal on their first drive of the third quarter and built their lead to 31-3 after Bednarczyk and McClenton combined on a 28-yard touchdown plus a two-point conversion pass to Matt Gudzak.
Mayes completed 18-of-35 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown on Saturday. Behind a strong second half, Bibbens hauled in five passes for 73 yards and the Lehigh touchdown. Senior Conner Bianchini added four receptions for 22 yards.
Lehigh mustered just 32 yards on the ground, with Bragalone limited to 18 on seven rushes and freshman Rashawn Allen carrying nine times for 24 yards.
Bednarczyk completed 16-of-29 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns, along with the one interception. McClenton caught six for 114 and two scores, while Jalen Jackson was the top rusher with 69 yards on 12 carries.
"The kids fought their tails off. That's what's most important," Coen said. "I told the team that they did everything they could. I was happy with how they competed. Last year's team didn't compete very well under these situations, so I think it's a positive with our defense and our offense is still young, and we'll get better."
The Lehigh-Villanova game was presented by Northampton and Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol Administrations with the Center for Humanistic Change.
Lehigh and Northampton Counties Drug & Alcohol Divisions plan, coordinate, fund and monitor drug and alcohol services for their respective counties through contracts with local providers. These services include prevention education, intervention programs, and both inpatient and outpatient treatment. If you or a loved one has a substance use disorder, there is help available through your county Drug & Alcohol Division. They can answer your questions, help coordinate services, and provide funding for treatment. In Lehigh County, call 610-782-3555; in Northampton County, call 610-829-4725. The Center for Humanistic Change is a not-for-profit agency that gives community members the knowledge and tools they need to make better-informed and more positive life choices. For 39 years, CHC has developed and delivered high quality prevention education and life skills programming in the Lehigh Valley. CHC, through funding from both counties, has educated thousands throughout the valley about the opioid crisis through HOPE (Heroin & Opioid Prevention Education), focusing on the fact that, "Yes, it CAN happen to you."
The Mountain Hawks will play their first FBS opponent in 15 years next Saturday when Lehigh visits Navy. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network with audio coverage on Fox Sports Radio 1230 and 1320.
EXTRA POINTS… Senior Ed Mish averaged 43.3 yards on a career-high 10 punts, including a 55-yarder… junior Colin Nace and sophomore Erik Slater each had 1.5 sacks, for slater, the first of his career… Lehigh has now lost seven straight games against Villanova and eight straight against CAA opponents… with his first quarter field goal, Mish is now 20 points behind Erik Bird's career kick-scoring record… with six tackles, Woetzel is now at 100 for his career… Lehigh participated in the Game Day Challenge, a friendly nationwide competition for colleges and universities to promote waste reduction at their football games… Lehigh recognized its 1973 Lambert Cup championship team at halftime Saturday... the 1973 team was the first Lehigh team to play in the NCAA playoffs...Saturday's attendance was 5,104.
Team Stats
VU
LEHIGH
Total Yards
405
176
Pass Yards
215
144
Rushing Yards
190
32
Penalty Yards
75
74
1st Downs
22
10
3rd Downs
3
2
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
33:56
26:04
1st Quarter
VU 0, LEHIGH 3
LEHIGH - Mish, Ed 21 yd field goal 14 plays, 58 yards, TOP 5:40
VU 7, LEHIGH 3
VU - Covington, J. 3 yd run (Kresge, D. kick), 9 plays, 63 yards, TOP 4:36
2nd Quarter
VU 14, LEHIGH 3
VU - McClenton, J. 62 yd pass from Bednarczyk, Z. (Kresge, D. kick) 3 plays, 56 yards, TOP 1:05
VU 20, LEHIGH 3
VU - Bell, R. 4 yd pass from Bednarczyk, Z. (Kresge, D. kickfailed) 7 plays, 81 yards, TOP 3:35
3rd Quarter
VU 23, LEHIGH 3
VU - Kresge, D. 35 yd field goal 11 plays, 67 yards, TOP 4:11
VU 31, LEHIGH 3
VU - McClenton, J. 28 yd pass from Bednarczyk, Z. (Gudzak, M. pass) 2 plays, 31 yards, TOP 0:43
4th Quarter
VU 31, LEHIGH 9
LEHIGH - Bibbens, Devon 26 yd pass from Mayes, Brad (Mayes, Brad passfailed) 8 plays, 67 yards, TOP 3:29
Game Leaders
CMP
18
TD
1
YDS
144
INT
1
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ FootballQB
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DB
/ Football
DL
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LB
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LB
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LB
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