HAMILTON — Junior linebacker
Cole Kozlowski posted a career-high 17 tackles and first year quarterback
Aleks Sitkowski led the Raiders on the ground with a personal-best 72 yards, but Colgate was unable to overcome crucial second-half turnovers in a 21-20 loss to Lafayette.
Defending a 20-7 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Colgate fumbled on their final two possessions of the game leading to 14 Lafayette points, sealing the Raiders' third Patriot League loss of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Senior running back Brendan Cassamajor scored the first touchdown of the game and his fourth of the season two minutes into the second quarter.
- The Leopards responded with a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive that was seemingly halted by a Dane Picariello sack, but a taunting penalty extended the series and led to a five-yard Lafayette touchdown run.
- Colgate would take a 10-7 lead into halftime after sophomore kicker Luke Vogeler drilled a 22-yard field goal with 17 seconds remaining in the second stanza.
- The Raiders ran for 60 of their 177 yards on the ground in a scoreless third quarter, but a Sitkowski 14-yard run carried Colgate momentum into the final frame.
- Sophomore quarterback Jake Stearney connected with second year wideout Reed Swanson on the first play of the fourth quarter, extending a 10-point lead for the home side.
- Colgate's defense forced a three and out on the next Lafayette possession, allowing Vogeler to kick a 49-yard field goal that boosted the Raiders' cushion to two touchdowns.
- A quick six-play series from the Leopards was capped by another short touchdown run, and a fumble four plays into the Raiders' next drive turned the ball back to the visitor's offense.
- Lafayette punched in the game-winning score six plays later after a roughing the passer penalty put the Leopards in prime field position.
- Attempting to execute a late-game two minute drill, the Raiders put the ball on the turf for the fourth time in the contest sealing the one-point loss.
GAME NOTES
- Junior wide receiver Treyvhon Saunders added seven catches for 72 yards in the contest. He is now up to 71 receptions on the year, tied with Corey Hill '99 for third-most in a single season by a Raider wideout.
- Kozlowski added a personal-best 17 tackles, also tying his career-high with 10 solo stops. It is his seventh double digit tackle game of the season and the most by a Raider since T.J. Holl '18 made 18 stops against Cornell back in 2018.
- Vogeler broke the program record for most 40+ yard kicks in a season with five through 10 games. He has connected on field goals of 40, 42, 45, 49 and 51 yards out, and he has not missed a 40+ yard attempt so far this season.
- Picariello added a new career-high nine tackles along with 1.5 TFLs.
UP NEXT
Colgate (2-8, 1-3 PL) hits the road for a matchup with Lehigh (6-3, 3-1 PL) next Saturday, Nov. 16, at 12 p.m. inside Goodman Stadium.
