RADNOR, Pa. - Eastern Football put together a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in the latter stages of the fourth quarter to make it a two-point game with plenty of time to spare. Lebanon Valley, however, answered back with a 75-yard touchdown of their own, and a backbreaking turnover and subsequent defensive touchdown on Eastern's second-to-last drive proved to be the difference in a 40-24 loss on Saturday afternoon.

Trailing 26-17, Eastern needed just under five minutes to go 75 yards. Sophomore running back Jeremiah Avrilien started the drive with an 18-yard scamper, and senior quarterback Brett Nabb kept the drive alive with a 26-yard run on a third-and-6. Three plays later on first-and-goal from the one-yard line, sophomore Devon Johnson executed a flawless end around with his first career touchdown, making it a 26-24 LVC lead with just over six-and-a-half minutes to play.

LVC (2-1, 2-0) wasted little time on its following possession with 41 of its 75 yards coming on the first play. LVC quarterback Braden Bohannon unleashed a beautiful pass down the right sideline into the waiting arms of Alex Vassalo, which set the Dutchmen up in Eastern territory.

Eastern was able to force a third-and-nine play from its own 23-yard line, but LVC receiver Tommy Delgado recorded his own end-around touchdown run to make it 33-24 with 2:31 left to play. The Eagles advanced the ball to their own 42-yard line on their ensuing drive, but a forced fumble by LVC's James Jackson and scoop and score by Taijay Brown thwarted any potential comeback effort.

Eastern failed to score in the first quarter as both drives ended with interceptions. Turnovers continued to haunt the Eagles, who committed four turnovers in the loss.

The Eagles began to gain some traction in the second quarter. John Nolek gave Eastern its first point on a career-long 45-yard field goal to make it 6-3, and after an LVC three-and-out, junior wide receiver Iyazah Guy-Bruton caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Nabb to give the Eagles a 10-6 lead. It was the first touchdown of the season for Guy-Bruton and the third of his career.

The lead was short-lived as the Dutchmen, off a 38-yard kickoff return by Deshawn Wilson and a crucial unnecessary roughness penalty on the Eastern defense, drove 51-yards in just 34 seconds to regain the lead for good. Nabb cut the deficit to 20-17 on a career-long 70-yard touchdown run to end the third quarter, but the Eagles never got any closer than two points.

Despite the loss, Eastern moved the ball on the ground, compiling 255 yards on 35 carries, good for 7.3 yards per clip, Nabb led the way with 139 yards on 14 attempts, while Avrilien recorded 111 yards on 15 carries. Guy-Bruton led the receivers with 28 yards on three receptions.

Defensively, the Eagles were once again led by senior safety Gashawn Moody, who finished with 11 tackles. Junior linebacker Chris Forte recorded 10, while junior cornerback Tahjere Jackson-Alston added seven. The Eagles also finished with four tackles for loss.

After three straight home games to open the 2024 season, Eastern (0-3, 0-2) will hit the road to Reading next weekend for a matchup with the Albright College Lions. Kickoff is slated for 12 noon.