ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– In the first of two games this weekend, Eastern University Men's Soccer earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over the visiting Randolph-Macon College Yellow Jackets. Evan Cope scored his first career goal in the 16th minute, and the Eagles (3-0) made it stand.

The Eagles found the game winner after Emmanuel Hewitt won a race for a ball on the right flank. The junior winger found Cope running from a late position on the far side. Cope met the pass 15 yards from goal and curled the ball into the lower right corner with his first touch. 

Dylan Fiore made four of his seven saves in the first half, but the rookie goalkeepers best effort came on a back-to-back opportunity in the 77th minute. Both teams had seven shots before the intermission.

Derek Buhrman nearly doubled the Eastern edge in the 62nd minute with a header off the crossbar on a restart from Gabriel Velazquez. Chasing the game and playing against a risk-averse Eastern defense, the Yellow Jackets had more chances in the second half, but Fiore was equal to the task on the shots on goal. A last-gasp chance in the 89th minute drifted just wide of the goal. 

"This was gutsy win for us," Head Coach Kevin Brenner said.  "We didn't start on the front foot as we have been speaking about all week but started to grind and settle into the game. In training all week, we stressed making movements in behind. Emmanuel created a two against and made the unselfish pass. We were more pragmatic in our approach and in possession through the second half. Full credit to Diesel and the entire squad in front of him for seeing out the clean sheet."

The Eagles are back on Olson Field tomorrow at 4:00 pm when they host the William Paterson University Pioneers (3-1-1).  Randolph Macon (1-1) will play at Cabrini tomorrow. Cabrini beat William Paterson 2-1 this afternoon.