WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The Leopards' fourth-quarter rally, spurred by a Ryan Monteyne blocked punt and subsequent touchdown by Julian Spigner, came up just short on Saturday at Kessler Stadium with Monmouth claiming a 24-21 final.  
 
Monteyne came through with the game-changing play with five minutes left in regulation and the Leopards trailing 24-14. The recovery by Marco Olivas at the nine-yard line left the Leopards 1^st-and-goal. Two plays later, freshman QB Keegan Shoemaker hit Spigner for a 13-yard strike in the corner of the end zone as Lafayette cut the margin to 24-21 with 4:38 left in the game.
 
For Shoemaker, it was his first career start. The freshman, who saw limited action in week one at William & Mary, finished the day 20-of-32 for 256 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
 
On the ensuing possession, Monmouth converted a crucial 4^th-and-1 from the Hawks' 34-yard line. Monmouth continued to pound the ball up the middle with Devell Jones and ran out the clock on the Leopards' comeback. For the day, Monmouth (1-1) grinded out 223 rushing yards, including a 152-yard day by RB Pete Guerriero.
 
The Leopard defense was up to the task in the early going, limiting Monmouth's big-play potential and forcing the Hawks to use an 86-yard drive to get on the scoreboard late into the first quarter. Guerriero's 19-yard run capped a 12-play drive over 5:24.  
 
It was a big play, a 48-yard pass from Kenji Bahar to Lonnie Moore, just before the end of the first quarter that set up Monmouth's next score. It appeared that sophomore DB Romeo Wykle emerged with the ball for an interception, but after a replay review the play was ruled a catch (confirming the call on the field). The next score came four plays later on a 35-yard field goal.
 
Eight minutes into the second quarter, Monmouth extended its advantage to 13-0 on a 23-yard Matt Mosquera field goal.
 
Near the end of the first half, Lafayette put together its own lengthy drive, a 15-play scoring march that covered 75 yards over 5:33. Freshman RB John Gay finished it off with a 13-yard scoring run outside the right tackle as Lafayette pulled within 13-7. Shoemaker was 7-of-11 for 50 yards on the drive, including a key 4^th-and-10 conversion from the Monmouth 35-yard line that set up Gay's scoring run.
 
The Monmouth offense scored quickly before halftime, stretching its lead to 21-7, using a 32-yard pass play from Bahar to Moore that led to a 10-yard scoring toss from Bahar to Joey Aldarelli.
 
In the third quarter, Shoemaker completed what looked to be about a 20-yard pass to Nick Pearson near the Monmouth 40, but Pearson spun and rolled off the would-be tackler and took off to the end zone, running the ball the ball another 60 yards for the score. The 80-yard touchdown reception was the longest of Pearson's career and Lafayette's longest play from scrimmage since 2007. Lafayette trailed 21-14 at 11:38.
 
The Leopards nearly surrendered a safety on their first possession of the fourth quarter. On first down, Shoemaker was sacked at the one-yard line for a loss of nine yards. The Leopards eventually punted from the end zone and a 23-yard return put Monmouth at the Lafayette 23-yard line. The defense forced a 40-yard field goal which Mosquera booted through to push the Monmouth lead to 24-14 with 10:50 left in the game.
 
Monmouth weathered the Leopards' late score, running off the final 4:38 in the 24-21 final.
 
Defensively, Lafayette battled injuries, but held Monmouth to 417 total yards. LB Keith Earle made a team-high 10 tackles while LB Billy Shaeffer, who was ejected for targeting in the second half, and LB Major Jordan finished with eight stops apiece.
 
Lafayette (0-2) plays its home opener on Sept. 14, hosting Sacred Heart at 12:30 p.m.