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Princeton University Athletics
Tigers Edged By Lehigh 20-18
September 23, 2000 | Football
Sept. 23, 2000
Box Score
By TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer
PRINCETON, N.J. - Brant Hall threw two touchdown passes and Sam Perryman and Jason Pinkney combined to break up a late game-tying two-point conversion attempt to lead Lehigh to a 20-18 win over Princeton on Saturday night.
The victory was the ninth straight by Lehigh (3-0) over an Ivy League team but Princeton (0-2) came close to ending the streak as tailback Kyle Brandt scored on a 4-yard run with 1:18 to play.
Chisom Opara took a handoff on an end around option play on the two point conversion attempt by Perryman came up from the corner to pressure him and Pinkney knocked down his pass into the end zone.
Lehigh then ran out the clock, sending new Princeton coach Roger Hughes to his second straight loss. Both of Hall's touchdown passes came after mistakes by Princeton quarterback Tommy Crenshaw.
Hall's 8-yard TD toss to halfback Phil Pleasant followed a Crenshaw fumble after a sack in the opening minutes. His 4-yarder to Justin Barrasso with 24 second left in the first half came after an interception by James Young gave Lehigh the ball at the Princeton 25.
Brian Kelley added field goals of 32 and 27 yards for Lehigh, while Taylor Northrop kicked four field goals for Princeton.
Lehigh needed only eight plays on offense to open a 10-0 lead early in the first quarter.
A 16-yard punt return by Josh Snyder gave the Mountain Hawks the ball at the Tigers' 24-yard line and Kelley kicked a 32-yard field goal four plays later.
A sack by Morris Taylor and Antraveous Slaton caused Crenshaw to fumble on the second play of Princeton's next possession and David Petett recovered at the Tigers' 19. Hall hit Pleasant out of the backfield on a first-and-goal from the 8-yard line four plays later.
A 34-yard option pass by Opara to Nate Lindell helped get Princeton on the scoreboard with Northrop kicking a 46-yard field goal with 5:37 left in the first quarter.
Hall had runs of 19 and 16 yards to set up Kelley's 27-yarder with 1:06 left in the first quarter. Northrop responded less than a minute later with a 50-yarder set up by an 18-yard pass to Brandt and a personal foul.
A field goal block by Bob Farrell helped set up Northrop's third field goal, a 27-yarder with 6:19 left in the second quarter.
But Crenshaw's second mistake really hurt the Tigers. Princeton appeared to be running out the clock at the end of the half but Hughes let Crenshaw throw a pass and the Tigers paid for it.
Northrop added a 24-yard field goal late in the third quarter.