Oct. 6, 2007
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 1 
| Photo Gallery 2
EASTON, Pa. - Four different Lafayette running backs scored touchdowns as the Leopards improved to 4-1 with a 29-0 shutout of Columbia (1-3) on Saturday night at Fisher Stadium. Lafayette racked up 372 yards of offense, including 24 first downs, while holding Columbia to 180 yards of total offense and a -13 yards rushing.
Lafayette led the Lions 10-0 at the half. Freshman Davis Rodriguez connected on a 23-yard field goal in the first minute of the second quarter, finishing a 14-play, 56-yard drive that began with five minutes remaining in the first quarter.
With four minutes left in the half, Lafayette punched in its first touchdown on a four-yard run by fullback Matt Ferber. It was Ferber's first collegiate touchdown.
Five minutes into the third quarter, cornerback Adrian Lawson intercepted a Craig Hormann pass at the goal line and ran it back 40 yards. Tailback DeAndre' Morrow followed with four carries for 38 yards before Columbia's Calvin Otis intercepted a pass from quarterback Michael DiPaola in the endzone.
Lafayette got the ball back less than a minute later when linebacker Andy Romans sacked Hormann and Andrew Poulson recovered the fumble with seven minutes to go in the third. Fullback Joe Russo rushed four yards to the two-yard line before tailback Brandon Mitchell followed up with a two-yard scoring run to put Lafayette up 17-0.
Lafayette scored again when Russo culminated a five-play, 26-yard drive with a four-yard pass from DiPaola to put the Leopards up 23-0 at the end of the third quarter.
In the beginning of the fourth quarter, Morrow widened the margin to 29-0 with his first career touchdown scamper. His 14-yard run into the endzone ended a four-play, 33-yard drive. Morrow led the team in rushing, finishing the game with 19 carries for 94 yards.
DiPaola completed passes to 11 different players, including five completions to senior wide receiver Duaeno Dorsey for 44 yards. The senior QB finished the day 20-29 for 187 with one touchdown and one interception.
"I was pleased that we were able to bounce back from a furstrating couple of weeks," said Lafayette head coach Frank Tavani. "Pitching a shutout against a team that put up 32 points at Princeton a week ago is quite an accomplishment for our defense."
Romans led a stout defensive effort and ended the game with a team-high 13 tackles, including three for a loss of 17 yards. Romans sacked Hormann (21-41-193) twice while Jason Mills, Keith Bloom, and Samuel Leland recorded a sack apiece. Junior Marvin Clecidor picked off his second pass of the season in the fourth quarter to end Columbia's final drive and seal the Lafayette victory. The Leopards, who are ranked first in the nation in total defense, forced three turnovers and allowed Columbia just 10 first downs.
"It seemed like at all three levels we had people making plays," Romans said. "We came out right away and made a statement when they tried to run the ball."
Lafayette returns to action at noon on Saturday at Harvard (2-2).
Game Notes:
* Freshman Nathan Padia made his first career start at wide receiver, making one catch for five yards.
* The Leopards have won six consecutive games against Columbia, in a streak that began in 2001. The two teams did not meet in 2006.
* Lafayette's last shutout came last season against Patriot League foe Bucknell, when the Leopards beat the Bison, 31-0.
