Final Stats |  Photo Gallery 

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell scored on three straight possessions in the fourth quarter to close out the Leopards, 42-17, on Saturday in Patriot League football action at Christy-Mathewson Memorial Stadium.

Despite trailing from the outset, Lafayette pulled within four points, 21-17, six minutes into the third quarter. With Bucknell leading 21-3, Lafayette scored twice in a minute in a half. On the Leopards' first play from scrimmage in the second half, Drew Reed hit a wide-open Joey Chenoweth for a 65-yard touchdown, tying Lafayette's longest play from scrimmage this season).

The Leopards' defense took its turn after the score. Freshman CB Eric Mitchell intercepted an R.J. Nitti (8-18-1 for 90 yards) offering, allowing the offense to score two plays later. Mike Dunn's 18-yard touchdown run cut the Leopard deficit to 21-17. Dunn finished with 10 carries for 58 yards.

The Bison rushing game answered with scores on its next three possessions. A Nitti to Butler pass for 24 yards set up a one-yard touchdown plunge for Chad Freshnock to give the Bison a 28-17 lead.

Bucknell intercepted Reed (12-21-1 for 167) and the Bison took over at the Lafayette 24-yard line. Joey DeFloria ran for 20 yards and then scored again from four yards out to lead 35-17 with 11 minutes left in the game. DeFloria finished the day with 27 carries for 130 yards.

Frank Tavani brought Blake Searfoss off the bench after Reed's interception and the senior handled Lafayette's final two possessions, each stopping near Bucknell's 40-yard line.

Buoyed by a converted fake punt and Leopard substitution penalty, Bucknell added a final score with 4:14 left in the game. Freshnock ran five straight times, the final a two-yard dive for score.

The Leopards opened the scoring in the game, moving the ball through the air on their second drive. Reed started with back-to-back passes to Matt Mrazek for nine and 13 yards, with the 13-yard grab picking up a 3rd-and-10. A 20-yard completion to Nick Franzese and an 18-yarder to Yasir Thomas moved Lafayette to the Bucknell 10. The drive ended with a 25-yard field goal by Jacob Bissell.

After a Leopard punt into a stiff, swirling wind, Bucknell took over at the Leopard 43. Nitti hit Will Carter for a 25-yard pass which set up a 17-yard run by Carter on the reverse and gave Bucknell a 7-3 lead with 1:32 left in the quarter.

Midway through the second quarter, Bucknell converted a pair of fourth downs. The first was a three-yard run by Nitti on 4th-and-3 at the Lafayette 33 and another on 4th-and-8 at the Lafayette 26 on a roughing penalty. Bucknell eventually scored on a nine-yard toss from Nitti to Andrew Podbielski.

Bucknell (3-4, 2-1) opened the second half by pounding the ball into the Lafayette defense. DeFloria rushed the ball eight times for 33 yards to take the Bison to the Lafayette 18. Bucknell reused its scoring play from the first half with the misdirection to Carter who scored again, this time a 10-yard TD for the 21-3 advantage.

Lafayette's two quick scores by Chenoweth and Dunn pushed the Leopards back into the game before Bucknell responded with its three fourth quarter rushing scores.

Junior LB Michael Root was Lafayette's leading tackler with 15 tackles and a sack as Lafayette gave up 349 yards of total offense.

Lafayette (1-7, 0-3) returns to action on Oct. 29, hosting Georgetown at 12:30 p.m.