football player scores touchdown threw three players

Bikulege Turns in Career Night in Leading Tartans to 20-7 Win Over Geneva

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team defeated the Golden Tornadoes of Geneva College Friday night, 20-7, in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) contest on the turf at Gesling Stadium. The win marked the 11th straight for the Tartans over Geneva and moves their overall record to 2-1, 1-1, while Geneva is now 0-3, 0-2.

Senior Luke Bikulege (Greer, S.C./St. Joseph's Catholic) turned in a career performance with 30 carries for 193 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 6.4 yards per carry. The Tartans outgained the Golden Tornadoes 341-202, with 284 yards coming on the ground. It marked Carnegie Mellon's 20th straight win when holding their opponent to under 300 yards of total offense.

Freshman Bobby Coury (Phillipsburg N.J./Phillipsburg) recorded a career-best nine tackles, including a tackle for loss to lead the Tartans. Seniors Sam Brod (Austin, Texas/Vandegrift) and Skyler Blacker (Lake Bluff, Ill./Libertyville) both matched their career-highs with eight and six tackles, respectively. Brod added 2.0 tackles for loss while Blacker recorded 1.5 in the win for the Tartans.

On the Tartans first possession of the game Bikulege capped off a 10-play, 79-yard drive with a 3-yard plunge into the end zone. The point-after was blocked and left the score 6-0.

With 9:05 to play in the first half, Tyler Lippiatt score on a 3-yard touchdown run of his own. The score finished of a five-play, 70-yard drive and the extra point sailed through the uprights to give the visitors a 7-6 advantage.

Bikulege put the Tartans back on top with three minutes to play in the half when he bounced off a tackle and then took it in for a 13-yard score. The 30-yard drive was setup following a short punt by Geneva out of its own end zone.

After the Tartans held the Golden Tornadoes offense to a three-and-out on the ensuing possession, the home team added another score before the half came to a close. With 53 seconds showing on the board, freshman Ben Mills (The Woodland, Taxes/Woodlands) connected with junior Kris Hughes (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) on a 36-yards touchdown strike to make the score 20-7 at the half. Hughes finished the night with three receptions for 52 yards and a score.

Carnegie Mellon will travel to Westminster College on Friday, April 16 for the final regular season game before the PAC Crossover contest April 23. Kick in New Wilmington is set for 7:00 p.m.