LISLE, Ill. – With just 13 seconds remaining in the game, Preston Earl ran for 11 yards to give the Benedictine University Eagles a  47-41 win over the preseason favorites, Concordia University-Chicago, on Saturday afternoon at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex.

Concordia-Chicago (2-2, 0-1 NAC)  tied it up at 41 with a minute and a half remaining in the game on a one-yard run from Khyre Copeland, his third touchdown of the game. The Eagles (2-2, 1-0 NAC) offense came to life when  Eric Ritter rushed for 15 yards to get the Eagles in scoring position. Two plays later Preston Earl scored the game winner on an 11 yard run to give Benedictine a win in their Northern Athletics Conference opener. 

Sophomore John Borsellino opened up the scoring for Benedictine on a three-yard run in the first quarter. After a successful #L.J. Stolarski# extra point, the Eagles took a 7-0 lead. 

The BenU defense held the Cougars to get the ball back and with almost two minutes left in the quarter, senior Mike Trombetta caught an 11-yard pass from Earl to double the Eagles lead heading into the second quarter.

The Concordia-Chicago offense came to life, scoring back-to-back touchdowns to tie the game at 14. Senior Brandin Austin would answer right back with a five yard touchdown catch to give the Eagles the 21-14 advantage.

With under 30-seconds remaining, Borsellino scored his second touchdown of the game to put BenU up by two touchdowns heading into half time.

In what seemed like a repeat of last week's heartbreaking loss to Kalamazoo, Benedictine allowed the Cougars to come within one point in the third quarter after touchdowns from Jamal Thomas and Savonte Hunt, but Austin regained the Eagle lead in the fourth quarter on a four yard touchdown pass from Earl to take the 34-27 lead.

The two teams continued to trade touchdowns when Copeland scored his second of the game which was answered with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Trombetta from Earl to keep the fans on the edge of their seats before Earl's final second touchdown which secured the Eagle's 47-41 victory.  

Borsellino rushed for 104 yards on 25 carries while Trombetta and Austin had seven catches each, combining for 206 total yards. Earl threw for 293 yards on 24-of-32 with four touchdowns and one interception.

#J.T. Zimmerman# led the defense with 13 total tackles, nine assisted while Eric Rickert had five solo and seven assisted for 12 total tackles. Tim Shanahan and Mike Hatfield had eight tackles each.  

Next week the Eagles travel to Aurora University for a 1:00 p.m. NAC contest on Saturday, October 9.