DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Delaware Valley College sophomore tailback Matt Cook ran the ball 28 times for 233 yards and a school record-tying four touchdowns to lead the 13th-ranked Aggies to a 26-14, come-from-behind victory over visiting Lebanon Valley College in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) game. 

Delaware Valley extended its winning streak to four as it improved to 4-0 overall, 2-0 and tied with Lycoming College for first place in the conference. The Flying Dutchmen fell to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the MAC. 

Cook netted the second-highest, single-game rushing total in Aggie history, trailing only Eric Reynolds' 254 yards from a 1980 game against Albright College. Meanwhile his four touchdowns on the ground tied two others who, ironically, also scored four times against Lebanon Valley: John Nice is 1966 and Steve Cook (no relation) in 2004. 

The Flying Dutchmen held a 14-13 lead at halftime and it stayed that way heading into the fourth quarter. Delaware Valley took over on its own 38-yard line in the early moments of the quarter and quickly moved into Lebanon Valley territory as Joe Gionfriddo caught a short pass from Mike Isgro, reversed field, broke a few tackles and gained 37 yards to the 25. Cook followed with runs of 18, 2 and 5 yards with last carry putting him into the end zone for a third time and a 19-14 Aggie lead. The two-point conversion pass failed leaving it a five-point ballgame with 12:37 remaining. 

Lebanon Valley went three-and-out and Delaware Valley took over on its own 27 following the punt. Cook starting the drive with an eight-yard carry and followed with 25 more yards to put the ball at the Flying Dutchmen 40. An Adam Smith eight-yard run and a Chad Peterman seven-yard reception moved the ball to the 25-yard line. It was all Cook from there as his 21-yard scamper made it first-and-goal and he followed with a three-yard carry and a one-yard plunge into the end zone. Shane Toohey added the extra-point for a 26-14 advantage with 7:27 remaining. 

The Flying Dutchmen drove to the Aggie seven-yard line on the ensuing possession, but a chop block penalty moved them back to the 22 and they turned the ball over on downs with three incomplete passes and a run of no yards. Delaware Valley ran out the clock from there. 

Lebanon Valley took leads of 7-0 and 14-7 in the first half thanks to the running of Charlie Parker. He followed a fumble recovery by Bruno Iozzo at his own eight-yard line by keying a 12-play, 92-yard scoring drive. Parker netted 52 yards on the play, including the final 19 for the touchdown. Brittany Ryan added the extra-point for a 7-0 lead with 7:42 remaining in half. 

Delaware Valley needed just two plays to tie the game as Cook rushed for eight yards on first down and scampered 52 yards into the end zone on the next call. Toohey added the point-after with 6:53 left.

Back came Lebanon Valley as it drove 67 yards on 12 plays. Backup tailback Ben Guiles notched 40 yards on the drive and Parker capped it with a one-yard score on third-and-goal. The touchdown was the junior's 23rd of his career and tied him with Ken Wilson '90 for the school's all-time record. Ryan's extra-point gave the Flying Dutchmen a 14-7 lead with just 1:30 remaining in the opening half. 

A 20-yard kickoff return by Isaiah Hall and a facemask call on the play put the Delaware Valley at the Lebanon Valley 42-yard line. Isgro completed a 24-yard pass to Adam Smith and Cook followed with a 17-yard run down to the one. Cook found the end zone on the next play but Toohey's kick clanked off the right goal post to keep the Flying Dutchmen ahead at 14-13 with 41 ticks to go before intermission. It remained that way until Cook and the Aggies rallied in the fourth quarter for the win. 

Isgro was 11-for-15 for 141 yards and also added 34 yards on the ground. Gionfriddo hauled in four passes for 80 yards. Rob Eagles and Kyle Reuter paced the Delaware Valley defense with 10 tackles apiece while Kyle Gesswein added nine tackles, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt. 

Parker finished the afternoon with 156 yards and two scores on 32 carries. Caleb Fick completed 13 of 22 passes for 122 yards with Joe Brennan catching five of them for 44 yards. Brian Cottone and Andrew Shambach recorded eight tackles and one sack apiece.