BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Lafayette defense limited Bowling Green to 265 offensive yards, but the host Falcons used an opening kick-off TD return and held the Leopard run game in check to claim a 26-7 decision on Thursday night.
 
Junior Robert Stevens was a big part of the defensive effort, tallying a career-high 11 tackles (surpassing his previous mark of seven). Sophomore Ryan Gadson and freshman transfer Beckham Dee rang up nine and eight tackles, respectively. 
 
After winning the toss, the Falcons chose to receive. The decision was quickly validated when freshman Cameron Pettaway returned the kickoff 98 yards to the endzone to give the hosts an early 7-0 lead.
 
The Maroon and White's offense put together a drive after trading three-and-outs. Facing 3rd-and-8, Dean DeNobile found RB Jakyre Henley on the screen to pick up 12 yards. Immediately after the play, Mother Nature intervened and the game was suspended due to lightning in the area. After 45 minutes, the teams re-took the field. Lafayette picked up right where it left off. DeNobile connected with Ethan Hosak for a 22-yard pass. The Leopards couldn't capitalize on the momentum, stopped on 4th-and-2 on the Bowling Green 37-yard line.
 
The Falcons used the ensuing possession to distance themselves from Lafayette. BGSU head coach, Eddie George, dialed up a 17-play, 51-yard drive that drained 9:08 of game clock, highlighted by 12 different runs. A tackle on second down by Ryan Gadson preceded an eight-yard sack on third down by Stevens to force a field goal. The hosts converted their first of four field goals to make it 10-0 early in the second half.
 
The score remained stagnant until 20 seconds before intermission. Pettaway scored his second touchdown of the evening, scampering four yards to take a 17-0 lead into half.
 
The Leopards allowed just nine points in the second half, all of which came off of field goals. Bowling Green kicker Jackson Kleather was 4-for-4 on field goal attempts, including a 56-yarder which increased the Falcons' lead by 20.
 
The Maroon and White continued to grind, using completions to Carson Persing and Elijah Steward to move the chains. After Kente Edwards picked up a first down on the ground, Persing snagged a DeNobile pass for 14 yards. The Leopards attempted to use Jason Penza for a fresh set of legs, but one of the QB's runs was negated by a block in the back penalty. With 11 yards to go on second down, offensive coordinator T.J. DiMuzio orchestrated a 17-yard reception to Steward for the first down.
 
Lafayette's offense appeared to stall after three plays within the redzone, but DeNobile had other plans. The senior stepped up to his right and hit a streaking Steward in the back of the endzone for the score. Jack Simonetta converted the point after to cut into the deficit to put the score at 20-7 with 3:39 left in the third quarter.
 
Bowling Green added two more Kleather field goals to cement the 26-7 final.
 
DeNobile completed the game 13-of-26 for 112 yards and one touchdown. Hosak led the Leopards with 30 receiving yards, while Steward and Mason Kuehner snagged three receptions. Edwards kept the ball on the ground 10 times for a team-high 27 yards, as the Leopards were held to 59 rushing yards on the day.
 
Defensively, Stevens recorded 11 tackles and a sack, while Darson Jeanty and Olivier Camerlain combined for a sack. Dee and freshman Christian Watson each recorded a pass breakup.
 
The Leopards remain on the road next week, traveling to Stonehill in Easton, Mass. on Saturday in a 1 p.m. kickoff.