Oct. 6, 2001
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- Columbia Coach Ray Tellier
- Lafayette Coach Frank Tavani
- Senior DT Barret Diefenderfer
- Senior TE Stewart Kupfer
- Senior QB Chad Ritchie
- Junior C Chris Royle
- Sophomore WR John Weyrauch
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EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - The Lafayette football team used 477 yards of total offense, including 323 passing yards, to record a 31-14 win over Columbia on Saturday at Fisher Field.
The Leopards (1-3) scored on their initial possession and never looked back en route to their first win of the season. Freshman tailback Joe McCourt punched in a one-yard run to cap a 14-play, 79-yard drive to give Lafayette a 7-0 lead at 8:34.
Lafayette took a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter when senior tight end Stewart Kupfer reeled in his first of three touchdown catches on the day, this time a five-yard strike from sophomore quarterback Marko Glavic. The score capped an 11-play, 81-yard drive. Glavic finished the day 30-of-50 for a career-high 302 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception.
A forced fumble by Lafayette linebacker Barret Diefenderfer and subsequent recovery by Chris Partridge gave Lafayette the ball back at 13:45 in the second quarter. The ensuing 79-yard drive gave Lafayette a commanding 21-0 lead at 7:54 in the second quarter. Head coach Frank Tavani's move to a two-quarterback system paid off for the Leopards, as senior QB Chad Ritchie hit Kupfer for a two-yard strike on a rollout pass to finish off a 14-play, 79-yard drive.
Columbia (0-3) narrowed the lead to 21-7 at 6:36 in the second quarter. Roy Altman hit Doug Peck for a 37-yard touchdown pass. Lafayette responded with a 21-yard Martin Brecht field goal to take a 24-7 halftime lead.
Columbia tailback Jonathan Reese cut the Lafayette lead to 24-14 with an 11-yard touchdown romp at 1:58 in the third quarter. Reese finished with 18 carries for 127 yards.
In the fourth quarter, Lafayette closed the door on its first victory of the season when Ritchie hit Kupfer for a three-yard touchdown pass at 10:55 to put the score at 31-14. Ritchie completed all three passes he attempted for 21 yards and two touchdowns.
Lafayette dominated in time of possession, holding the ball for 41 minutes compared to Columbia's 19.
Lafayette returns to Patriot League action on Oct. 13 when they host Bucknell at 1:30 p.m. Columbia returns home to face Ivy League favorite Penn.
