Lehigh holds on for 21-17 win

FROM KEITH GROLLER

3:13 p.m.

Fourth down penalty falls incomplete, Lehigh gets ball and is going to get a much-needed win, 21-17. Not pretty by any stretch, but Mountain Hawks got what they needed the most -- a win.

3:08 p.m.

Fordham has ball again and is on the move. Big pass play to tight end Stephen Skelton gets Rams a first down at their own 45 and now a roughing-the-passer penalty gets Fordham a first down at the Lehigh 27. 1:59 left and Lehigh might be headed toward a terrible defeat.

3:02 p.m.

Lehigh defense gets another fourth-down stop, turns the ball back over to the offense at midfield with a little over four minutes left. Can Mountain Hawks hold on?

2:57 p.m.

Bad vibes continue. After Lehigh drives deep into Fordham territory thanks to a couple of nice Jay Campbell, the drives stalls. Jay Peery is short on a 36-yard field goal attempt against the wind.

2:45 p.m.

Lum gets sacked for a 17-yard loss on third down and Lehigh is forced to punt. Fordham's ball on its own 45 with 13:34 to play. A big pass play moves Rams to Lehigh 35 with 12:20 left. Not a great performance by the Mountain Hawks by any stretch.

2:36 p.m.

You knew those missed chances would come back to haunt Lehigh. Fordham just went 62 yards on 13 plays to get a touchdown. Darryl Whiting's 2-yard TD run and the PAT makes it 21-17 with less than a minute left in the third quarter.

2:26 p.m.

Lehigh still leads 21-10 but has done absolutely nothing with great field position on its last two possessions. Mountain Hawks just stopped on fourth and inches with OL unable to get a push for freshman fullback Sean Farrell. This should be 27-10 minimum or possibly 35-10, but instead its still too close for comfort at 21-10.

2:18 p.m.

Lehigh defense rises up, gets a 3-and-out and the Fordham punt is partially blocked. Mountain Hawks back in business at the Rams 42.

2:12 p.m.

Zach Barket does a great job of staying in bounds and hauls in a 17-yard TD pass from Lum. It caps a 51-yard, 7-play drive and Lehigh has opened up some breathing room. Mountain Hawks lead 21-10 with 10:28 left in the third quarter.

2:08 p.m.

On its first possession, Fordham tried a fake-punt on fourth down and would have had a first down, but fumbled the ball. John Veniero recovered, giving Lehigh the ball at its own 49. Big pass play to Jake Drwal has Mountain Hawks at the Rams 22.

2:02 p.m.

Halftime stats: Fordham 235 total yards, Lehigh 156.

Rams have 223 yards passing. Fordham just 1-for-8 on 3rd down conversions. Lehigh QB Chris Lum is a modest 9-for-14 passing for 87 yards. Ryan Spadola 3 catches for 30 yards.

There have been no turnovers, but three penalties apeice. Fordham gets ball first to start 2nd half.

1:44 p.m.

Fordham threatens again before halftime but is turned away. It's 14-10 Mountain Hawks at intermission. Going pretty much as expected with offenses putting the defenses on their heels.

1:33 p.m.

Lehigh gets a much-needed touchdown drive after a big kickoff return by Craig Zurn. Mountain Hawks go 53 yards on 7 plays and Michael Colvin, the wildcat QB, keeps on a 6-yard run and now the offensive showcase that was expected is starting to take shape. Lehigh now leads 14-10 with 2:39 left in the first half.

1:27 p.m.

Lehigh's defense has given up another big pass play, this one covering 39 yards for a touchdown, and Fordham has moved in front 10-7 here at Goodman. This was a quick 5-play, 66-yard drive, and as expected, the Rams hurry-up, spread-the-field offense is giving Lehigh huge problems. But Lehigh's offense was expected to give Fordham's defense more problems than it has so far. Let's see if Lehigh can finally get going with just 5:50 left in the first half.

1:16 p.m.

Lehigh got a big stop on fourth down to end a major Rams threat to the Mountain Hawks 1. It's still 7-3 Mountain Hawks with 10:45 left in the first half.

1:05 p.m.

Fordham came right back with a little razzle dazzle for a 42-yard completion that led to a Rams field goal to make it 7-3. Lehigh had a chance for a big play on its next possession, but Craig Zurn couldn't hold on to what would have been about a 40-yard pass completion.

12:53 p.m.

Lehigh has scored the first of what I think will be many touchdowns today, as Chris Lum hits Ryan Spadola for a 12-yard TD pass. Spadola looked like he was down, but rolled over on a Fordham defender and was, evidently, never down. The drive was 72 yards, 12 plays and took 6:06. There is also 6:06 left in the first quarter. Lehigh up 7-0.

12:46 p.m.

After both teams went 3-and-out on their first possessions, Lehigh has something going here on possession No. 2. First down for Lehigh at the Fordham 27.

Gorgeous day again here at Goodman, by the way.

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