Long Island Falls Short Against Lehigh, 20-17
Long Island University (LIU) put up a strong fight but ultimately fell short in a hard-fought 20-17 loss to Lehigh in front of their home crowd at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium. The game was a back-and-forth affair, but a third-quarter touchdown pass by Lehigh’s Dante Perri, coupled with a key defensive stop by Broc Bender, sealed the victory for the Mountain Hawks. LIU's 0-3 start to the season, while frustrating for Sharks fans, does show promise as the team looks capable of competing in the Northeast Conference (NEC).
The game began in LIU’s favor with quarterback Luca Stanzani leading a 9-play, 74-yard drive that culminated in a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Love. Love’s reception, his first of two touchdown grabs on the day, gave the Sharks an early 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. The LIU offense showed balance, with Stanzani spreading the ball around and the running game, led by Ethan Greenwood and Stanzani himself, providing solid gains.
Lehigh quickly responded in the second quarter. Running back Luke Yoder capped off a 65-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7. Lehigh’s offense, which had shown flashes of dominance in their previous matchup against Wagner, relied on its ground game to wear down the Sharks' defense.
Just before halftime, Lehigh managed to take the lead with a long, methodical 16-play, 67-yard drive that ate up nearly nine minutes of clock. Quarterback Hayden Johnson found wide receiver Geoffrey Jamiel for a 7-yard touchdown pass to give the Mountain Hawks a 13-7 lead, though a failed two-point conversion attempt kept it a six-point game heading into halftime.
LIU didn’t back down. Early in the third quarter, Stanzani once again connected with Michael Love for a 3-yard touchdown pass, reclaiming the lead for the Sharks at 14-13. Love finished the game with six catches for 29 yards and two touchdowns, proving to be a key red zone target for Stanzani throughout the contest.
Lehigh quickly answered, however. Perri’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Mason Humphrey midway through the third quarter gave the Mountain Hawks a 20-14 advantage. Perri was efficient, completing 6 of 13 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown, while splitting time under center with Johnson.
LIU responded late in the third quarter with a long, 11-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a 27-yard field goal from Michael Coney. The kick cut Lehigh’s lead to 20-17 and set up what appeared to be a potential thrilling finish in the fourth quarter.
Despite LIU's best efforts, including several key defensive stops and a solid performance from their rushing attack—Greenwood led the Sharks with 65 yards on five carries, and Stanzani added 62 yards on the ground—Lehigh’s defense held strong in the closing moments. Broc Bender made a critical stop for the Mountain Hawks late in the game, preventing LIU from mounting a game-winning drive.
Defensively, the Sharks struggled to contain Lehigh’s running game at times, allowing 143 rushing yards on 43 carries. Luke Yoder was the standout for Lehigh, rushing for 94 yards and a touchdown. The Sharks' defense did manage to force a fumble and recover it, but it wasn’t enough to swing the momentum in their favor.
Stanzani finished the game with 154 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception on 16-of-26 passing. Cory Nichols led the Sharks in receiving yards, hauling in four catches for 54 yards, while Aviyon Smith-Mack added two catches for 36 yards. Despite showing moments of promise on both sides of the ball, the Sharks were unable to capitalize on several key opportunities.
With the loss, LIU falls to 0-3 on the season and 0-1 at home. While the start to the season has been disappointing, there are clear signs that the Sharks can compete in the NEC this year. The connection between Stanzani and Love looks strong, and the rushing attack showed it can be effective when given the opportunity. As LIU continues to work through its early-season struggles, Sharks fans can remain hopeful that the team will turn things around as they head into NEC play.
Lehigh, now 2-1, continues to build on its momentum after a strong performance against Wagner the week prior. As for LIU, they’ll need to regroup quickly as they prepare for the rest of their NEC schedule. While the result wasn’t what the Sharks were hoping for, their performance showed that they have the potential to compete in a tough conference.
