Lehigh football drops fifth consecutive game to Georgetown

Lehigh (1-6) picked up its fifth consecutive loss against Georgetown (4-3) on Saturday, Oct. 14, at Goodman Stadium. 

The Hoya’s outscored the Mountain Hawks 17-7. 

“You know, new week, same result,” coach Kevin Cahill said. “It’s getting frustrating, the way we find ways to end on a lower half of the scoreboard.” 

Both teams went scoreless in their first drives despite Lehigh’s first offensive play being a 46-yard reception by sophomore tight end Nick Williams. 

Lehigh punter Ben Banks-Altekruse pinned Georgetown on their own 5-yard line, but a couple of receptions by wide receiver Cam Pygatt brought the Hoyas into Mountain Hawk territory. Then, Hoyas’ sophomore wide receiver Jimmy Kibble cleared the safety down the middle of the field and caught a 37-yard touchdown from fifth-year quarterback Tyler Knoop to take the lead 7-0. 

On Lehigh’s next drive, a fumble by sophomore wide receiver Geoffrey Jamiel was recovered by first-year cornerback Quincy Briggs at the 36-yard line. Briggs ran it back for a touchdown, but after review the fumble was ruled an incomplete pass and the touchdown was rescinded.

Lehigh looked to pick up some momentum with a catch and run from junior wide receiver Dylan McFadden inside the Georgetown red zone, but a holding penalty downfield brought Lehigh back to the 40-yard line. 

Sophomore quarterback Brayten Silbor took a shot downfield for senior running back Jack DiPietro, but Georgetown cornerback Kamren Watkins-Hunter batted the pass into the arms of Kolubah Pewee Jr. for an interception at the 1-yard line. 

At the end of the first quarter, the Hoyas had 177 yards of total offense with Knoop going eight for eight in passing completions.

“We have to stop settling with being good,” said sophomore defensive back Nick Peltekian. “We got to want to be great, and we can’t take plays off.”

At the beginning of the second quarter, the Hoyas were looking to extend their lead to two scores, but a crucial tackle by senior linebacker Mike DeNucci on fourth and inches gave Lehigh the ball on their own 9-yard line.

Key plays by DiPietro brought the Mountain Hawks into the red zone, but another holding penalty moved them back to the 23-yard line where they missed a field goal, keeping the score at 7-0. 

“Way too many penalties offensively, way too many penalties defensively,” Cahill said. “We have to be more competitive in some situations.”

After the missed field goal attempt, Georgetown got the ball at their own 23-yard line and marched all the way down the field to the Lehigh 16-yard line. Knopp dropped back and delivered the ball right into the hands of tight end Max McCormick in the back of the end zone, but the ball slipped through his hands. The Hoyas settled for a 33-yard field goal attempt, but the kick sailed to the right of the posts.

With three seconds to go in the second half, Lehigh got the ball and ran out the clock. 

Lehigh received the ball to start the third quarter. The Mountain Hawks were looking at another three and out when Silbor found first-year Mason Humphrey 20 yards downfield for a first down. Following a couple of rushes from first-year Luke Yoder and a personal foul on the Hoyas, Lehigh was on the Georgetown 30-yard line. 

Three straight rushes from DiPietro got Lehigh into the red zone. On a second and 10 from the Hoyas’ 13-yard line, Silbor rolled out to his right and delivered a bullet to senior wide receiver Eric Jonson who caught the ball in the end zone for the first and only Lehigh score of the game, tying the score at seven. 

Another scoreless drive from the Hoyas and Georgetown punted the ball back to Lehigh. Peltekian received the punt, cut to his right and ran down the sideline for a 30-yard punt return to the Hoyas’ 45-yard line.

During the second play after the punt return, the Hoyas sent a blitz at Silbor who lofted an interception by first-year safety Zeraun Daniel at the Georgetown 35-yard line. 

The Georgetown offense took advantage of the turnover and kicked a field goal from the Lehigh 16-yard line making the score 10-7. Lehigh then received the kickoff and went three and out, giving the ball back to the Hoyas to start the fourth quarter. 

Lehigh started the fourth quarter with pressure from linebacker Drew DeMorat that caused the Hoyas quarterback to get an intentional grounding penalty, making it second and 25. Two plays later, when the Hoyas were punting on fourth and four, Lehigh received a penalty for having 12 men on the field and the Georgetown drive continued.

Lehigh eventually forced a Georgetown punt, and they received the ball at their own 19-yard line. Another holding penalty brought back a 15-yard reception for Lehigh, and they punted the ball right back with 8:03 left in the game. 

A tackle in the backfield for Peltekian and a sack from sophomore Matt Spatny made it third and 15 for the Hoyas on their own 20-yard line, but a 22-yard reception from Kibble gave Georgetown another first down. A quarterback draw and a face-masking penalty on Peltekian gave Georgetown the ball at the Lehigh 31-yard line. 

A back-shoulder fade to wide receiver Brock Biestek put the Hoyas in the red zone, and a rush from running back Naieem Kearney got Georgetown into the end zone to make the score 17-7. 

Lehigh attempted to run a hurry-up offense after receiving the ball with 3:44 left in the game, but they couldn’t convert on a fourth and 10 from the Georgetown 46-yard line. The Hoyas got the ball with 2:28 left, and after one first down they ran the clock out to give Lehigh its sixth loss of the season. 

“We’re going to come in tomorrow ready to work,” Peltekian said. “Like coach just said to us, ‘If you don’t want to be here, don’t come [to practice]’, and I’m sure everyone on the team is going to be ready to work.”

The Mountain Hawks will face Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 21.