READING, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Soccer closed out the 2021 campaign with a convincing 4-1 win at Albright College. The Eagles (10-5-2, 4-4) took a 2-0 lead to halftime and added a pair of goals in the opening six minutes of the second half to secure the win.

Though the Eagles finish  the year in a three-way tie for fourth place, the Eastern team knew going into tonight's contest that no result would solve their tiebreaker problems and that they would finish as the odd-team out in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament. York's win over Stevenson on Wednesday evening gave the Spartans the 12 points they would need to match the Eagles.

Emmanuel Hewitt opened the scoring after the Eagles put together a good movement on the left side  in the ninth minute. Daniel Panto played a ball to the back post and Hewitt headed it home for his fourth goal of the year. Tonight's tally was his first goal in the opening 80 minutes of a match and the first that has not stood as a game-winner.

Eight minutes later, the Eastern defense created a goal. With Derek Buhrman providing pressure and wingers doing their jobs, Nik Kokolios picked off a short clear from the Albright goalkeeper. Kokolios gathered the ball nicely and after a touch, looped the ball into the open net for his fourth of the year.

The Eagles had a 10-3 edge in first-half shots, but the result still was in question at the break. After seeing a 2-0 lead disappear in Wednesday's 3-2 win over Widener, the Eagles came out of the locker room with outstanding resolve.

Kokolios picked up his second of the night in the 50th minute. Sam Provido lifted a big switching ball toward the right side, and Marino Iandolo slipped a perfectly weighted ball into the box. Kokolios met the pass without breaking stride and gave the Eagles their first three-goal lead since early September.

That lead grew to 4-0 63 seconds later. Dylan Daigneault gathered a ball in the back and found Iandolo on the right side. The sophomore winger slipped a hopeful ball into the box with his outside of his right foot. An Albright defender beat Gabriel Velazquez to the ball, but Velazquez blocked the clearing attempt with his first touch and slipped a shot into the near post with his second touch. He finishes the year with four goals.

The Lions (3-14-1, 0-8) grabbed one back in the 64th minute, but the Eastern defense held on for the final 4-1 result.

"This was a nice way to cap off the season," Head Coach Kevin Brenner said. "We controlled the game from the outset and scored some very well-worked goals. I was pleased that we got to get some young players into the match tonight, which was well-deserved."

Diesel Fiore made one stop in the first half and Tyler Shearin made a save in the second half.