Box Score

PHILADELPHIA -- The Columbia defense left everything they had on Franklin Field, but four turnovers proved too costly as Penn defeated the Lions 15-10 in Philadelphia.

The Quakers scored all 15 points off turnovers and Penn's three scoring drives totaled 15 plays and only 17 yards.  

Penn's first drive and score was a result of an interception.  Eight plays and ten yards later, Andrew Samson kicked a 37-yard field goal.  

The Lions started its ensuing possession on the Columbia 37 yard line.  Shane Kelly connected with Taylor Joseph for 17 yards on a third and three to give the Lions a first down and keep the drive alive.  Ray Rangel carried twice for seven yards before Jon Rocholl kicked a 38-yard field goal to knot the score at 3-3.

Penn scored another field goal in the second quarter when Kelly fumbled on the Columbia 18-yard line and Penn's Jay Colabella recovered.  The Lions' defense held Penn to just five yards, but Samson hit the 31-yarder with 10:51 remaining in the quarter.

The Quakers got the ball back just 33 seconds later when Penn's Britton Ertman recovered a fumble at the Lions' 29 and returned the ball 27 yards to the Columbia two before Zack Kourouma chased him down and saved the immediate score.

It looked like Columbia might hold Penn at the two-yard line, but on third and goal, Brad Blackmon squeaked in for the touchdown.

Two drives later, Columbia got the ball on its own 33 with 5:19 remaining in the half.  Ray Rangel rushed for five yards and Mike Stephens had a five-yard catch to move the chains.  Rangel then went for 14 yards, busting into Penn territory.  On second and ten, Kelly rushed for 30 yards to the Penn 13-yard line.  A six-yard touchdown pass to Austin Knowlin cut the lead to 13-10 at the break.

The lone points scored in the second half came from a safety with just under eight minutes left in the third quarter. Rocholl was in punt formation at the Columbia 17 when the snap when over his head and resulted in the safety.  On the ensuing kick off, by rules of the safety, Rocholl punted from the 20-yard line for the kick off and the ball rolled into the Penn end zone for a touchback.

Gross finished with a career-high, game-high and Columbia season-high 17 tackles.  Lou Miller added seven with 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for a loss for 10 yards.  Drew Quinn and Corey Cameron each had six tackles in the loss.

Rangel had a game-high 79 net yards rushing, while Taylor Joseph had 65 yards receiving.  
The strong defensive effort was no comfort to the Lions.

“There is no solace in losing a game like this,” sophomore Alex Gross said.  “You can take things here and there that you did well and build on it, but you can't be content with that.”

The Lions return to action on Saturday when they host Dartmouth for a 4 p.m. game that will be televised on the Versus Network for the TIAA-CREF Ivy League Game of the Week