WILKES-BARRE (Pa.) – The Delaware Valley University football team won its 25^th consecutive Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) contest as it defeated host Wilkes University, 42-0, to earn its first shutout of the year.

The Aggies came into the game ranked 12^th in one national poll and 16^th in another, and they improved to 6-1 overall and 5-0 in league play. The 25 consecutive conference wins ties Lycoming College's mark for the longest win-streak in MAC history. DelVal's streak dates back to week eight of the 2016 season, and a win next week will shatter the 28 year old record.

For the Colonels, it was their first loss of the season as they dropped to 5-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play.

In this game, each team went three-and-out on its first drive and the Aggies began their second drive from their own 44-yard line. On third down, Donte Simmons ran up the middle for 15 yards, and two plays later Anthony Fontana found his tight end Dan Allen up the middle for a 25-yard touchdown to make it 7-0.

DelVal forced another three-and-out and freshman Tahmir Barksdale took the ensuing punt 64 yards to the house for his second return touchdown of the season and an early 14-0 lead for the Aggies.

The score remained that way going into the second quarter and DelVal was threatening inside Wilkes' red zone again. The Aggies worked the ball all the way to the Colonels' one-yard line on 15 plays but, on fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, Fontana fumbled the snap and Wilkes recovered to take end the threat.

Later in the second, DelVal need just seven plays to cover 44 yards and take a three-touchdown lead after Fontana found his other tight end, Ryan Norton, up the seam for a 19-yard score with just 1:21 left before the break.

The Aggies maintained the 21-0 lead at the break and out-gained the Colonels, 223 yards to 62.

Wilkes started with the ball to open the second half, but safety Blaine Netterman got his third interception in the last two weeks on a 2^nd-and-12 play to give the ball back to DelVal. The Aggies drove down the field and missed a 33-yard field goal attempt to keep it 21-0.

Another Colonels' special team's miscue cost them late in the third. Punting from their own end zone, Trent Fries broke right through the middle of the line and blocked the kick and the ball rolled out of bounds at the one-yard line. Fontana needed just one play to reach the ball over the line and make it a 28-0 game going into the fourth.

On the second play of the final stanza, Fontana hit Juwan Manigo across the middle of the field and he sprinted 30 yards to the pylon for his third touchdown of the season.

The DelVal defense held Wilkes to a loss of one yard on its next possession as Yusuf Aladinov and Vincent DiLeo combined for a sack.

DaQuann Bohannan came off the bench to lead the offense on the next drive and the quarterback threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to senior Aaron Nelson on his first play from scrimmage to extend the lead to 42-0, and the defense held on to complete the shutout.

The Colonels managed just 100 yards of total offense on 49 plays, and were held to just 20 yards rushing including the 22 rushing yards they had on the final two drives. DelVal had five sacks in the game and forced one turnover on Netterman's interception. Five different players recorded a sack led by Aladinov's 1.5 while Anthony Tedesco paced the group with five tackles.

Offensively, Fontana completed 22-of-30 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns and Nelson had the first 100-yard receiving game for an Aggie wideout as he hauled in five passes for 108 and the score. Manigo also caught five passes with a touchdown while Donte Simmons and Mario Nigro each carried the ball six times for a combined 62 yards.

The Aggies have three games remaining on the regular season slate beginning with Lebanon Valley College at home next week. Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m. at Lipinski Field.