DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – Delaware Valley football celebrated Senior Day with a 28-13 victory over Alvernia University on Saturday afternoon, improving to 7-2 overall and 7-1 in MAC play.
After the opening kickoff, a roughing-the-kicker penalty on DelVal extended Alvernia's opening drive. On third down, Basil Walter sacked Esbenshade to force a punt. On the second offensive play for the Aggies, Galasso was intercepted, giving the ball back to the Golden Wolves. Alvernia capitalized with an 18-yard touchdown pass over the middle. The extra-point attempt hit the left upright, leaving the score at 6-0. DelVal was forced to punt on its next possession, but Alvernia muffed the kick, allowing John Dzielawa to recover at the Alvernia one-yard line. After being stopped on the first attempt, Galasso was pushed into the end zone for the touchdown. Brendan Hazell converted the extra point to give the Aggies a 7-6 lead.
The Golden Wolves moved down to the DelVal 24-yard line, but Esbenshade missed an open receiver on third down before Alvernia missed a 34-yard field goal wide right. On the Aggies' next possession, Tyler Zinkevick took off on a fake punt, picking up 22 yards and a first down. From the Alvernia 17, Dzielawa leaped over a defender to haul in a touchdown catch, extending the DelVal lead to 14-6. Alvernia responded with a 26-yard touchdown run by Dixon to pull within one. With time winding down in the first half, Galasso completed passes to Kenny Montgomery and Brown, but the Aggies missed a 31-yard field goal attempt against the wind to close out the half.
DelVal opened the second half with a big play as Galasso connected with Brown for a catch-and-run down to the Alvernia five-yard line. On third-and-goal, Galasso found Joel Perez in the end zone for a touchdown, extending the Aggies' lead to 21-13. The DelVal defense forced a punt on Alvernia's next possession, highlighted by a six-yard tackle for loss from Maurice Beverly II. The Aggies were called for roughing the kicker on the punt, giving the Golden Wolves another opportunity, but Myles Reynolds sacked Esbenshade to help end the drive.
Multiple penalties gave Alvernia additional yardage to begin the fourth quarter, but the Aggies' defense continued to make plays. Jo'Zyiah Brown, Dayshon Jackson, and Aziyah Garland each recorded tackles for loss to push the Golden Wolves backward. Esbenshade later found an open receiver in the end zone, but Anderson dropped the pass. On fourth down, CJ Partridge intercepted Esbenshade in the end zone, ending the scoring threat. A penalty placed DelVal at its own one-yard line, but Brown picked up a first down with a nine-yard run. Another penalty and a tackle for loss forced the Aggies to punt. Alvernia moved the ball to the DelVal 39, but on fourth down, Beverly stopped Dixon short of the line to gain to force a turnover on downs. After Brown picked up 15 yards, Jackson broke a tackle and sprinted 39 yards into the end zone to seal the 28-13 victory.
With the win, the Aggies improve to 7-2 overall and 7-1 in MAC play. DelVal closes out the 2026 regular season next Saturday, Nov. 14, at Widener in the annual Battle for the Keystone Cup.
