Lehigh football comes up short against Bucknell, drops to 1-7

The Lehigh football team dropped a close game to Bucknell 19-17 at Goodman Stadium on Saturday.

Lehigh’s defeat ended Bucknell’s losing streak — which spans into 2021 — at 13 and extended Lehigh’s to six. 

This was Bucknell’s first victory in over a year.

Lehigh is now tied for fifth in the Patriot League, with games against league leading Holy Cross, fourth ranked Colgate and third ranked Lafayette in the coming weeks.

The game was defined by the defensive side of the football, as both teams would force a fumble, and Bucknell recorded two interceptions.

Lehigh quarterbacks junior Dante Perri and freshman Brayten Silbor split time to start the game. Perri led the first two drives of the game.

Silbor started the next three drives, and ended the day with 24 passing yards before being carted off the field due to an arm injury.  

His injury led to an exchange of words with members of the Bucknell defense. 

“I’m not a big fan of that kind of stuff, but it was occurring, and I thought our guys handled it pretty well actually,” Lehigh coach Tom Gilmore said. “They did not respond in a negative way, I should say. I felt like we tried to stay focused on the game, but it was a very emotional time when Brayten (Silbor) got hurt.” 

Despite the injury, the Mountain Hawks kicked a field goal with 27 seconds left in the half to cut the deficit to four, going into halftime down 7-3. 

Early in the third quarter, Lehigh senior Johnny Foley blocked a punt deep in Bucknell territory that was recovered in the endzone by junior Nick Lucien, giving Lehigh a 10-7 lead.

“We knew coming in we had an opportunity to block a punt or two here,” Foley said. “When my number was called, I took the opportunity to give my best effort.”

Both defenses prevented any scoring for the rest of the quarter.

To begin the fourth quarter, Bucknell tied the game at 10 with a 48-yard field goal. The teams would trade empty possessions before Lehigh senior defensive lineman Dean Colton forced a fumble from Bucknell quarterback Nick Semptimphelter, setting up the Mountain Hawks in Bucknell territory. 

A few plays later, Lehigh sophomore running back Gaige Garcia scored a rushing touchdown from one yard out to give the Mountain Hawks a 17-10 lead. 

Bucknell then put together a scoring drive of their own, moving the chains 60 yards before scoring on a one yard run of its own with 2:05 left in the game. 

With the score 17-16, Lehigh senior wide receiver Tommy Lewis blocked Bucknell’s extra point try to keep the lead. 

Bucknell then attempted an onside kick and recovered it at Lehigh’s 47-yard line. 

Bucknell would push the Lehigh defense back to their redzone after a 24-yard pass from Semptimphelter, and a 19-yard field goal from Bucknell kicker Matt Schearer sailed through the uprights, completing the come from behind win for Bucknell. 

After the game, Colton said the defense had a strong performance but recognized they needed to work on the little things going forward. 

“Focus on the details,” Colton said. “It’s very detail oriented and we need to do everything just a little bit better every day.”

Gilmore said although the Mountain Hawks are currently 1-7, the team is determined to keep working to turn the season around. 

“It has to be a one game season, especially when you come off a tough loss like this,” Gilmore said. “You have to get refocused on improving everything that you’re doing.”

Lehigh is heading into a bye week and will return to action on the road against Holy Cross on Nov. 5.