Sept. 12, 2009
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Lafayette opened the 2009 football season with a 28-3 win over Georgetown on Saturday night.
In the first home night game in Georgetown, it was Lafayette that showed glimpses of brilliance under the lights of Multi-Sport Field. Senior QB Rob Curley finished the night 20-of-34 for a career-best 259 yards and three touchdowns while junior WR Mark Layton reeled in seven catches for 107 yards and two scores.
It was the running game that put the Leopards on the scoreboard first. With 6:44 left in the opening quarter, sophomore TB Jerome Rudolph ripped off a 48-yard touchdown run around the end to cap a short drive of five plays and 79 yards.
Curley and Layton connected for the Leopards' next two scores in the second quarter, as Lafayette maintained the momentum. Their eight-yard scoring connection and David Rodriguez's extra point gave Lafayette a 14-0 lead. The lengthy drive covered 55 yards on 11 plays over seven and a half minutes.
The Lafayette defense forced a three-and-out on Georgetown's next possession, and Lafayette took the ball back on its own 44-yard line. Curley hit Layton for a 46-yard score and a 21-0 lead at halftime.
The defense did more than its part in the first half, allowing just one Georgetown (0-2, 0-1) first down (on a roughing penalty) and just 35 yards of total offense. The Leopards' offense ran off 44 plays for 296 yards in the first 30 minutes.
Georgetown opened the second half with its only scoring drive of a game. The Hoyas covered 40-yards in nine plays, ending with a 33-yard field goal by Jose-Pablo Buerba.
The Leopards put the game out of reach later in the third quarter. TB DeAndre' Morrow collected a short throw from Curley. The shifty senior made a quick move, forcing two defenders to collide while allowing Morrow to break away for a 38-yard touchdown.
Defensively, Mark Leggiero led the Leopards with seven tackles while Michael Phillips forced and recovered a fumble. Michael Schmidlein also forced a fumble that Donald Ellis recovered.
Up next for Lafayette is Liberty. The Leopards host the Flames at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Fisher Stadium.
NOTES: The victory marked the sixth straight win over the Hoyas and eighth straight victory for the Leopards in season openers.
Lafayette did not commit a turnover, but forced three turnovers.
