RADNOR, Pa. — Playing in black uniforms for the first time, Eastern University Football used a stellar second half to pull away to a 37-20 MAC win over the visiting Delaware Valley University Aggies (2-3, 2-2). Jeremiah Avrilien scored three times, and John Nolek delivered three field goals as the Eagles (4-1, 3-1) beat the Aggies for the first time in the three-year history of the program.
The kicking game proved to be crucial. After the Aggies scored their second touchdown of the afternoon to go up with only 28 seconds left in the first half. The Aggies had an extra point go off the upright and out to keep the game at 13-10. After a short kick-off, the Eagles took advantage of a big penalty on a horse-collar tackle as time expired to set up a long field goal attempt. Nolek delivered on the 45-yarder to send the two teams to the intermission with the score tied at 13.
That momentum developed further as the Eastern defense held its ground against the Aggies on the opening drive of the second half. Chris Forte and Shamaad Clack combined for a big stop for no gain on a third-and-2 run in Eastern territory. Then, Jamauri James broke up the fourth-down pass to give the Eagles the ball at their own 32.
Brett Nabb and the offense then built an 11-play drive to go up 20-13.
With the energy of the homecoming crowd building, the Eastern defense kept momentum going with a three-and-out to give the Eagles the ball near midfield with 1:49 left in the third quarter. After a pair of short rushes, Nabb delivered a 14-yard strike to Justin Nikolopolous for a big first down to end the quarter. On the same drive, Nabb ran for a first down on fourth-and-4. He then found Eddie Swinton over the top for a 30-yard strike and a 27-13 lead. The touchdown grab is the third of the year and eighth of his career for Swinton.
On a very efficient afternoon, Nabb finished 10-of-12 with 130 yards and a touchdown. The veteran quarterback also ran for 73 yards.
Down two scores, the Aggies needed to throw, and they could not afford an empty possession. Tahjere Jackson-Alston broke up a pass on fourth-and-8 to give the Eagles a very short field.
Eastern burned some clock with three running plays and built the lead to three scores with Nolek's third field goal of the afternoon. His a 37-yard kick split the uprights with less than seven minutes to play.
Knowing the Aggies had to throw, the Eagles forced two incompletions and a pass underneath, before Salif Nikiema sacked Delaware Valley quarterback Mike Galasso for an eight-yard loss and another short field. Avrilien capped a three-play drive with his ninth touchdown of the season.
Down 24, Delaware Valley mixed up their offense and marched 75 yards for a score, but Devon Johnson fielded the onside kick and the Eagles iced the game with three running plays.
The Eagles opened the game with a balanced 65-yard drive that ended with an Avrilien touchdown. That joy, however, was short-lived as the Aggies got an 85-yard touchdown run from Justin Brown on their first play from scrimmage.
Nolek put the Eagles up 10-7 with a 33-yarder, but the Aggies took the lead with what could have been a demoralizing 18-play drive that took nearly all of the final 12 minutes of the first half.
The Aggies finished with a 350-288 edge in total yards. Brown ran for 173 yards, and Galasso threw for 187. The Eagles were able to create stops and gain short fields with four turnovers on downs. Neither team lost a fumble or threw an interception, and both teams only punted once.
When the two teams met last year, the Aggies beat Eastern 27-0. The Eagles scored two field goals in 29-6 loss to the Aggies in 2023.
The win moves the Eagles into a three-way tie for second in the MAC standings with Stevenson and Lebanon Valley. Misericordia moved to 4-0 in the league with a statement win on the final play at Lebanon Valley today. Eastern will host a 2-2 Albright team next week before traveling to Misericordia the following week.