DOYLESTOWN, Pa.- Eastern University Men's Soccer found itself in an early hole at Delaware Valley College. The Eagles went down a player and down a goal in the early moments of the match. The Eagles scored three straight goals and held on for an important 3-2 Freedom Conference win.

The first bit of adversity at Delaware Valley came with a light rain that turned a slow grass field into a slow and slippery grass surface. Regardless, the Eagles started the match on the offensive. Josh Cirocco, Brandon Beaumont, and Mitch Osterhouse each had great chances early, but Delaware Valley goalkeeper Chase Clement turned Eastern's best effort and two other balls missed the mark. The Eagles had not scored in their last two matches and tension began to build.

With the Eagles controlling play and set to take a restart from near midfield, the game took an unexpected twist. An altercation at the top of the top of the Aggie box resulted in center back John Remsberg getting sent off with a straight red card. The ejection caught everyone off guard. The Aggies cleared the Eastern service, and short a central defender, the Eagles were out of balance in the back row.

The home side broke in behind what was left of the Eastern defense. After an initial shot by Steve Mannato went off the post, Alec Scarano followed it home for a 1-0 lead for the home side.

The Eagles (11-3-1, 3-1-1 Freedom) faced a serious problem. Playing down a man is difficult, but it is not impossible if the team merely needs to defend. To create chances short-handed, however, is another challenge all-together. 

Regardless, the Eagles forced the action.

The Eastern staff inserted Eric Giovagnoli and Jon Nazon into the game as a pair of forwards. Giovagnoli unbalanced the Aggie back line with speed and dribbling, but it was Nazon who broke free on the critical play of the match. The super-slow home pitch, in an ironic twist, proved to undo the Aggies on the equalizer. Nazon stepped to press a ball played toward Clement, but the ball checked up so much that the Eastern sophomore beat the Aggie goalkeeper to the ball. He touched the ball through Clement and buried his second goal of the year to knot the score at 1-1 with 3:50 to play in the first half.

As it put the onus for attacking back on the Aggies, that goal proved to be momentous.

The Eagles found two strikes in the first seven minutes of the second half for the win. Giovagnoli bagged his ninth of the year to put the Eagles up. Karl Leisch crossed the ball into Cirocco. He touched the cross into Giovagnoli's path nine yards from goal. Three minutes later Osterhouse took a ball in the midfield and slotted a ball into space for Giovagnoli. Giovagnoli drew the defense and rolled the ball back to Osterhouse for the game-winner. 

The Eastern staff moved players in and out to try to compensate for the extra running to cover the full field. The Aggies grabbed a goal back with just over six minutes to play on a rebound effort, but the Eagles were able to keep things together for a result in the final moments.

Joe Centeno made four saves to earn the win in goal for the Eagles.

The full three points in the match moves the Eagles closer to a spot in the Freedom Conference Tournament. The Eagles can clinch a spot with a win in either one of their final two games. They return to action at King's College on Saturday night.

Box Score