Saturday, September 14
Brookville, N.Y.
12:00 PM
Lehigh University
at
LIU
Photo by: Hannah Ally
Mountain Hawks To Make First-Ever Visit To LIU Saturday
9/10/2024 2:31:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – For the second straight week, the Lehigh football team will battle a Northeast Conference foe as the Mountain Hawks visit LIU Saturday in their first-ever visit to Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium. Lehigh capitalized on four first-half Wagner takeaways to build a 42-0 halftime lead on the way to a 49-13 victory over the Seahawks in the Mountain Hawks' home opener. The Mountain Hawks had seven different touchdown scorers on a balanced offensive attack, while an opportunistic defense dominated the first 30 minutes. Junior Nick Peltekian had two interceptions and was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week. LIU opens its home schedule following losses at UAlbany and TCU.
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Lehigh scored the first 49 points in its win over Wagner, including 42 in the first half, to take a 42-0 lead into the locker room. The 49 points marked Lehigh's highest scoring output since Nov. 3, 2018 when the Mountain Hawks defeated Bucknell 45-17. Prior to last weekend, the last time Lehigh scored 42 points in a half was Oct. 1, 2016 when the Brown and White scored 42 in a 63-35 victory at Yale. Lehigh head coach Kevin Cahill was on the wrong side of that Yale result as he was on the Bulldogs' offensive coaching staff at the time of that game.
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The Mountain Hawks scored seven touchdowns in their 49-13 victory over Wagner, with the seven touchdowns coming from seven different players. Junior Geoffrey Jamiel opened the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown reception. Running backs Jaden Green and Luke Yoder added rushing touchdowns in a 21-point first quarter. In the second quarter, quarterbacks Dante Perri and Hayden Johnson both scored rushing touchdowns and safety Nick Peltekian added a 27-yard interception return touchdown. Sophomore Mason Humphrey scored Lehigh's seventh and final touchdown with a reception on Lehigh's opening drive of the second half. The last time Lehigh had seven different touchdown scorers in one game was on Nov. 21, 2015, when Trevor Socarras, Derek Knott, Gatlin Casey and Troy Pelletier had receiving touchdowns, Nick Shafnisky and Dom Bragalone scored rushing touchdowns, and Brandon Leaks returned a fumble 84 yards for a score in a 49-35 win over Lafayette in #Rivalry151.
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Junior safety Nick Peltekian has started his season strong, with a career-high 15 tackles at Army, followed by a two-interception effort against Wagner. Peltekian returned his second pick 27 yards for a touchdown that gave Lehigh a 42-0 halftime lead. On Monday, Peltekian was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week. He became the first player since Pete Haffner in 2019 to intercept two passes in one game. Peltekian enjoyed a breakout 2023 season, leading the Mountain Hawks with 91 tackles, while adding four tackles for loss, five pass breakups and a forced fumble. Peltekian also emerged as a weapon in the return game, averaging 21.1 yards on eight punt returns, highlighted by a 57-yard punt return touchdown at Bucknell. His punt return touchdown was the first for a Lehigh player since Jarard Cribbs returned a punt 84 yards for a score against Cornell on Oct. 4, 2008. Peltekian garnered second team All-Patriot League honors last season and added preseason all-league laurels in late July.
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Lehigh has finished with a negative turnover margin in nine of the last 10 seasons, a trend the Mountain Hawks will look to reverse this fall. The Mountain Hawks were minus-10 during the 2023 season, with 12 takeaways via three interceptions and nine fumble recoveries. Lehigh matched its interception total from the 2023 season in the first half against Wagner. The Mountain Hawks had four takeaways and zero giveaways against Wagner to improve to plus-2 on the season. Prior to the Wagner game, the last three-interception game for Lehigh was at Bucknell in 2021. The last four-takeaway game was also at Bucknell, in 2017. The last time Lehigh was plus-4 or better in turnover margin was in 2016 when the Mountain Hawks were plus-5 in a 46-14 win at Holy Cross.
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LIU will play its home opener Saturday in Lehigh's first-ever visit to the Long Island campus. The Sharks are 0-2 following a 27-21 loss at UAlbany and then a 45-0 loss to FBS member TCU. LIU is coming off back-to-back 4-7 seasons. Luca Stanzani has started LIU's first two games at quarterback. A pair of Sharks, running back Ludovick Choquette and Taveon Wheeler, earned weekly NEC honors for their performances in the season-opener at UAlbany. LIU had four players on the preseason All-NEC team: offensive lineman Jake Timm, defensive back Caleb Nartey, punter Will Lynch and wide receiver Michael Love.
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Lehigh and LIU met six times during the 1970s, when LIU was known as C.W. Post. The Brown and White won all six previous meetings. This will be the first meeting between the two schools on Long Island. Long Island University's Brooklyn and C.W. Post campuses merged in the summer of 2019.
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Saturday's game kicks off just after noon from Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium in Brookville, N.Y. The game will have streaming video on NEC Front Row with Lehigh radio coverage on Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM and LVFoxSports.com.
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The Mountain Hawks return to Goodman Stadium for their next two games, beginning next Saturday when Lehigh hosts Princeton as part of Family Weekend, presented by PSECU. Lehigh will look to defeat Princeton for the first time since 2016 in what will be the Tigers' season opener. Game time is set for noon.
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Follow Lehigh Football on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.Â
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Lehigh scored the first 49 points in its win over Wagner, including 42 in the first half, to take a 42-0 lead into the locker room. The 49 points marked Lehigh's highest scoring output since Nov. 3, 2018 when the Mountain Hawks defeated Bucknell 45-17. Prior to last weekend, the last time Lehigh scored 42 points in a half was Oct. 1, 2016 when the Brown and White scored 42 in a 63-35 victory at Yale. Lehigh head coach Kevin Cahill was on the wrong side of that Yale result as he was on the Bulldogs' offensive coaching staff at the time of that game.
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The Mountain Hawks scored seven touchdowns in their 49-13 victory over Wagner, with the seven touchdowns coming from seven different players. Junior Geoffrey Jamiel opened the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown reception. Running backs Jaden Green and Luke Yoder added rushing touchdowns in a 21-point first quarter. In the second quarter, quarterbacks Dante Perri and Hayden Johnson both scored rushing touchdowns and safety Nick Peltekian added a 27-yard interception return touchdown. Sophomore Mason Humphrey scored Lehigh's seventh and final touchdown with a reception on Lehigh's opening drive of the second half. The last time Lehigh had seven different touchdown scorers in one game was on Nov. 21, 2015, when Trevor Socarras, Derek Knott, Gatlin Casey and Troy Pelletier had receiving touchdowns, Nick Shafnisky and Dom Bragalone scored rushing touchdowns, and Brandon Leaks returned a fumble 84 yards for a score in a 49-35 win over Lafayette in #Rivalry151.
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Junior safety Nick Peltekian has started his season strong, with a career-high 15 tackles at Army, followed by a two-interception effort against Wagner. Peltekian returned his second pick 27 yards for a touchdown that gave Lehigh a 42-0 halftime lead. On Monday, Peltekian was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week. He became the first player since Pete Haffner in 2019 to intercept two passes in one game. Peltekian enjoyed a breakout 2023 season, leading the Mountain Hawks with 91 tackles, while adding four tackles for loss, five pass breakups and a forced fumble. Peltekian also emerged as a weapon in the return game, averaging 21.1 yards on eight punt returns, highlighted by a 57-yard punt return touchdown at Bucknell. His punt return touchdown was the first for a Lehigh player since Jarard Cribbs returned a punt 84 yards for a score against Cornell on Oct. 4, 2008. Peltekian garnered second team All-Patriot League honors last season and added preseason all-league laurels in late July.
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Lehigh has finished with a negative turnover margin in nine of the last 10 seasons, a trend the Mountain Hawks will look to reverse this fall. The Mountain Hawks were minus-10 during the 2023 season, with 12 takeaways via three interceptions and nine fumble recoveries. Lehigh matched its interception total from the 2023 season in the first half against Wagner. The Mountain Hawks had four takeaways and zero giveaways against Wagner to improve to plus-2 on the season. Prior to the Wagner game, the last three-interception game for Lehigh was at Bucknell in 2021. The last four-takeaway game was also at Bucknell, in 2017. The last time Lehigh was plus-4 or better in turnover margin was in 2016 when the Mountain Hawks were plus-5 in a 46-14 win at Holy Cross.
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LIU will play its home opener Saturday in Lehigh's first-ever visit to the Long Island campus. The Sharks are 0-2 following a 27-21 loss at UAlbany and then a 45-0 loss to FBS member TCU. LIU is coming off back-to-back 4-7 seasons. Luca Stanzani has started LIU's first two games at quarterback. A pair of Sharks, running back Ludovick Choquette and Taveon Wheeler, earned weekly NEC honors for their performances in the season-opener at UAlbany. LIU had four players on the preseason All-NEC team: offensive lineman Jake Timm, defensive back Caleb Nartey, punter Will Lynch and wide receiver Michael Love.
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Lehigh and LIU met six times during the 1970s, when LIU was known as C.W. Post. The Brown and White won all six previous meetings. This will be the first meeting between the two schools on Long Island. Long Island University's Brooklyn and C.W. Post campuses merged in the summer of 2019.
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Saturday's game kicks off just after noon from Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium in Brookville, N.Y. The game will have streaming video on NEC Front Row with Lehigh radio coverage on Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM and LVFoxSports.com.
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The Mountain Hawks return to Goodman Stadium for their next two games, beginning next Saturday when Lehigh hosts Princeton as part of Family Weekend, presented by PSECU. Lehigh will look to defeat Princeton for the first time since 2016 in what will be the Tigers' season opener. Game time is set for noon.
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| Date: | September 14, 2024 |
| Opponent: | LIU Sharks |
| Kickoff: | 12:03 p.m. |
| Stadium: | Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium/6,000/FieldTurf |
| Location: | Brookville, N.Y. |
| Lehigh's record: | 1-1 overall, 0-0 Patriot League |
| LIU's record: | 0-2 overall, 0-0 NEC |
| Series: | Lehigh leads 6-0 |
| Video: | NEC Front Row |
| Radio: | Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM and 1230 AM and LVFoxSports.com with Matt Kerr and Steve Lomangino beginning at 11 a.m. |
| Key Stats: | •Lehigh had seven different touchdown scorers in its win over Wagner. •The Mountain Hawks rushed for 190 yards against Wagner, their ninth straight game over 100 yards rushing and the highest rushing total under Kevin Cahill. •Lehigh's defense had four takeaways and allowed just 51 yards of offense on the way to a 42-0 halftime lead against Wagner. |
Follow Lehigh Football on X/Twitter and Instagram and like on Facebook for exclusive updates throughout the season.Â
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