Bucknell University
Lehigh
Big Plays From Lauletta and Carter Lead Football to Second Straight Win Over Lehigh
10/11/2014 4:32:00 PM | Football
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Trey Lauletta became the first Bucknell quarterback in 20 years to throw for 300 yards, Will Carter scored on three touchdown passes of at least 69 yards and the Bison defense recorded five interceptions as Bucknell defeated Lehigh 45-24 Saturday afternoon at a cloud-covered Goodman Stadium.
The Bison (5-1, 1-0 Patriot League) downed the Mountain Hawks (0-5, 0-1 PL) for the second straight year and have outscored them 93-34 in those two contests.
Lauletta, a senior who earned his first start of the year in place of an injured R.J. Nitti, completed 15 of 20 passes for 313 yards and four touchdowns, three of which went to Carter. Carter finished with 246 receiving yards to rank second on the program's single-game list, behind only Tom Mitchell's school record of 264 that has stood since 1965. Carter also became just the fourth Bison player with three touchdown receptions in a game, and the first since 1986.
The last Bucknell player to throw for 300 yards was Rob Glus in 1994 and Lauletta became the ninth player in program history to throw for four touchdowns in a game.
“Trey played a really smart game,” commented Bucknell head coach Joe Susan. “He didn't try to do anything he can't do.
“It is rewarding for this group to come back with a win like this. They did a great job keeping their composure when Lehigh came back. It was a team victory.”
The Bison scored 31 unanswered points in a span of less than 20 minutes from late in the first quarter to early in the third. Bucknell turned a 7-0 deficit into a 31-7 advantage before the Mountain Hawks put 17 straight on the board to close to within 31-24 with 6:46 to play.
A 77-yard touchdown pass from Lauletta to Carter stretched the Bison lead back to 38-24 with 5:46 to play, while Lee Marvel's second interception of the game virtually clinched the result and set up Bucknell's final score by Matt DelMauro, a one-yard plunge with 1:39 on the clock.
The first of five straight scores for the Bison came when Lauletta connected with Bobby Kaslander on a 19-yard touchdown with 4:15 left in the first quarter.
After forcing a Lehigh punt on the next drive, Bucknell took possession at its own 17-yard line. Three plays later it was back in the end zone as Lauletta completed a 69-yard touchdown to Carter. It was the longest pass play by Bucknell since 2010, only to be surpassed later by 77- and 78-yard touchdown connections.
Interceptions by Marvel and Connor Golden led to the final two scores in the first half for the Bison. Marvel's second interception of the season midway through the second quarter gave Bucknell the ball on the 18-yard line and four plays later Matt DelMauro, who earned the start at running back in place of an injured C.J. Williams and rushed for 86 yards, scored on a one-yard run to make it 21-7.
Golden intercepted Mountain Hawk punter Austin Devine's pass on the very next drive and the Bison ate up the final 5:28 of the half with a 13-play drive that concluded with an 18-yard field goal by Derek Maurer as the clock clicked to 0:00.
A 78-yard touchdown pass to Carter on the first play of the second half stretched the lead to 31-7.
Lehigh, which entered the game averaging more than 430 yards per game, then got into a groove as it turned to a no-huddle offense that featured shorter pass routes. The Mountain Hawks registered a field goal and two touchdowns on consecutive possessions before Carter's third long TD reception put the Bison back up by two scores.
Bucknell finished with 436 yards of total offense and converted a solid 9 of 16 third downs.
The Bison defense limited the Mountain Hawks to 289 yards. Marvel (2), Golden, Clayton Ewell and Thomas Bodolus recorded interceptions, while Evan Byers led the way with a game-high nine tackles. He moved into fifth place in program history in career tackles (333).
Carter ran for 12 yards in addition to his 246 receiving yards and his 258 all-purpose yards rank him ninth on the program's single-season list. He also set a Goodman Stadium record for receiving yards.
Nick Shafnisky was 16 for 30 for 193 yards for Lehigh, while Rich Sodeke led the Mountain Hawks with 52 rushing yards. Lehigh was held to 96 rushing yards, the 25th opponent in the Joe Susan era to be held under 100 by Bucknell.
Bucknell has now defeated Lehigh in back-to-back years for the first time since 1996 and 1997.
The Bison, who are off to a 5-1 start for the first time since 2001, will be idle next Saturday and will return to action Saturday, Oct. 25, at Georgetown.
Notes:
- Trey Lauletta became first Bison to throw for 300 yards (313) since Rob Glus in 1994.
- Will Cater's 246 receiving yards rank second on Bucknell's single-game receiving list.
- Will Carter's three touchdown receptions are tied for first on Bucknell's single-game list, and he is first Bison with three TD receptions since Mike Morrow in 1986.
- Bucknell had five interceptions for the first time since Robert Morris in 2009.
- Will Carter's 258 all-purpose yards rank ninth on the program's single-game list.
- Evan Byers moved into fifth place on Bucknell's career tackles list (333).
- Will Carter's 531 receiving yards this year are the most by a Bison since Frank DeNick in 2011.
