Defense steps up for win in Lehigh spring game

(STATS) - A potential dominant Lehigh offense is supposed to carry the team in the upcoming season while the defense matures.

So Mountain Hawks coach Andy Coen and his staff must have been thrilled to see the Brown squad - the defense - beat the White offense 33-19 in the team's annual spring game on Saturday at Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Junior defensive lineman Tyler Cavenas led the way with three sacks, while senior Evan Kauffman, who has moved to linebacker, recorded two.

"We had a lot of energy out there as a defense," Kauffman said. "That's one thing we've been focusing on. Just swarming to the ball no matter how far you are and running to the ball and bringing intensity and energy to the defensive side of the ball."

Last season's senior class will be the first in the program to graduate without a Patriot League championship ring in more than 20 years, so the Mountain Hawks want to build on last year's 6-5 record - which doubled their 2014 win total - and contend in the Patriot League title race.

The outstanding trio of quarterback Nick Shafinsky, running back Dominick Bragalone (the 2015 Patriot rookie of the year) and all-league wide receiver Troy Pelletier are among the offense's eight returning starters.

The defense features linebacker Colton Caslow and hopes to improve immensely after joining Lafayette at the bottom of the league's defensive rankings last season.

The Mountain Hawks only lost league games to Colgate and Fordham last season, and this year they get both at home. They open the season at home on Sept. 3 against Monmouth.