WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Lafayette scored twice in 17 seconds to record a come-from-behind victory at Monmouth on Saturday afternoon.
 
The passing game was on full display as junior QB Dean DeNobile completed 31-of-45 for 394 yards (all career highs) with two touchdowns. Junior WR Elijah Steward also enjoyed a career game, with a school-record 15 catches for 244 yards and the game-winning score. The running game pushed the Leopards in the early going, as the nation's leading returning rusher Jamar Curtis finished with 87 yards, tying a career-high with three touchdowns. He was also a receiving threat, securing six catches for 56 yards (both career highs).
 
Lafayette trailed 35-28 with 1:54 left in the game before the Leopards started to make their final run. DeNobile tossed a 29-yard pass to Chris Carasia (6-66) to midfield. Three plays later, he found Steward for 21 yards and then followed with a 12-yard TD to Carasia who fended off a defender in the corner of the end zone. The Leopards went for two with a wide receiver pass from Carson Persing that was knocked away by the defender. Lafayette trailed 35-34 with 51 seconds left.
 
The onside kick followed. Jakob Trestik's bouncing effort was mishandled by Monmouth and Robert Stevens was in place to recover. Lafayette took over at midfield. DeNobile completed the comeback when Steward found his way past a defender for a 42-yard touchdown and the win.
 
With 36 seconds left, Monmouth got the ball back and moved it down to the Lafayette 35-yard line before Gabe DuBois ended the suspense by intercepting a pass with 13 ticks left.   
 
Lafayette's first scoring drive was a preview of the day's offense – a bountiful mix of the run and pass, covering 84 yards on 11 plays. DeNobile hit four receivers for 48 yards and the Leopards added 31 on the ground, including Curtis' nine-yard run from the center of the field to the far pylon for the 7-0 lead eight minutes into the game.
 
Four minutes later, the hosts answered with a 23-yard TD from Derek Robertson to Josh Derry that was set up by a 26-yard pass. The score was tied at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.  
 
Just two minutes into the second quarter, the Leopards re-took the lead. A 13-play drive was capped by Troy Bruce's six-yard run when he slipped off left tackle. Jack Simonetta's PAT stretched the advantage to 14-7.
 
The back and forth continued. With 6:34 left before intermission, Monmouth converted a fourth-and-goal from the five-yard line (Robertson to James Maxwell) to knot the game at 14-14.
 
Lafayette started the second half with an impressive drive that ate up nearly eight minutes and covered 75 yards. The 16-play scoring march ended with Curtis' second score of the day, a two-yard run up the middle that handed the Leopards a 21-14 lead.
 
As the third quarter closed, the Lafayette defense stuffed two direct-snap runs near the goal line. But, as the fourth quarter opened, the Hawks went to the pass. Robertson escaped a closing pocket and found Tra Neal for a two-yard TD toss that tied things at 21-21 at 14:50.
 
Monmouth seemingly took control of the game on its next drive. T.J. Speight caught a short pass in the backfield and made a defender miss before outrunning Leopard defenders to the goal line. Monmouth led 28-21.
 
Lafayette kept punching back, and a long strike from DeNobile to Steward took the Maroon and White 39 yards to the Monmouth 17. The Leopards converted a 4^th-and-11 when DeNobile zipped a pass to Steward to the one-yard line. Lafayette went to the option and DeNobile's pitch to Curtis tied the game at 28-28 with 6:25 left.
 
Monmouth took its final lead of the day (35-28) on the next drive, punching in a score when Sone Ntoh broke free of several tacklers to score with 1:54 left in the game.
 
The stage was set for the Leopards' first win in the final minute of a game since Nov. 23, 2019 (at Lehigh).  
 
Defensively, DuBois made a team-high seven tackles and added the game-clinching interception. Senior Saiku White picked off his seventh interception in the first quarter and could have scored were it not for his helmet coming off on the play prior to the return. For the day, the Leopards were 9-of-15 on third down, 2-of-3 on fourth down and scored on 5-of-6 red-zone opportunities.
 
Lafayette opens its home slate on Sept. 14, hosting Marist at 12:30 p.m.