Game Statistics

            EASTON, PA. – Senior Justin Polk rambled for a career-high 92 yards and grabbed three passes for 50 yards and one touchdown to lead Colgate to a hard-fought 20-16 win over Lafayette College at Fisher Field.

            The Raiders posted their fifth straight victory to move to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in the Patriot League.  Lafayette is 1-6 and 0-4.  Colgate is 26-6 vs. Patriot League teams under head coach Dick Biddle.

            “We’re happy we won,” said Biddle.  “It was a tough ballgame, a game we very well could have lost.

            “I thought the defense played well, especially in the second half.”

            Lafayette opened the scoring on the first series of the game when Martin Brecht booted a 38-yard field goal to cap a 55-yard drive in 10 plays.

            In the second quarter, Polk caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Tom McCune to put the Raiders on top 7-3.  McCune completed 16-of-23 passes for 212 yards and one TD.  It was the fifth straight game that McCune has passed for over 200 yards.

            Colgate appeared ready to move ahead with its second TD of the game, but Jeff Werrell intercepted McCune in the end zone.  Werrell sprinted 44 yards down the sideline before tossing a lateral to Adriel Linyear, who covered the final 56 yards for a touchdown.  Brecht’s extra point gave Lafayette a 10-7 advantage with 5:39 left in the first half.

            The Raiders answered right back on their next possession marching 66 yards in 13 plays with McCune scoring on a one-yard run as time expired in the half.  Colgate took a 14-10 lead into the locker room.

            The teams exchanged excellent scoring opportunities in the third quarter, but Colgate’s Sean McCune intercepted a Lafayette aerial in the end zone to kill a Leopard drive, and the Raiders missed a 39-yard field goal attempt.

            With 2:17 left in the third quarter, Lafayette put together a 78-yard drive in seven plays to move in front, 16-14.  Freshman running back Joe McCourt, who gained a game-high 160 yards on 17 carries, capped the drive with a 48-yard run.  Brecht missed the extra point when it hit the left upright.

            Colgate put together its winning drive in the fourth quarter.  Following a Lafayette punt, the Raiders marched 69 yards in nine plays with sophomore Matt Kobelski scoring the winning TD on a 15-yard run.  McCune’s two-point conversion run was stopped.

            Lafayette again moved into Colgate territory but the Raider defense forced a missed 31-yard field goal attempt.  Colgate proceeded to run the final 6:14 off the clock behind the hard running of Polk, who gained 36 yards on seven carries, and made two crucial first down runs on third-down plays.

            GAME NOTES – Colgate has won six straight games against Lafayette … Joe Parker with two catches for 52 yards moved into fifth place in career receptions with 106 passing Buddy Brown (1984-87), who had 105 … McCune hit eight different receivers with junior Jamal Lamb leading the way with four receptions for 37 yards … Colgate’s defense has allowed only two touchdowns in the last three games … McCourt’s 160 rushing yards was the most given up since Noah Reed of Towson ran for 184 last year against the Raiders … Ron Hampton was Colgate’s leading tackler with a season-high 13 stops including one fumble forced and one TFL.