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Muhlenberg Doubles Up Rival Moravian in Regular-Season Finale

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Allentown, Pa. – Kevin Van Laar rushed 40 times for a career-high 167 yards and a touchdown to earn game MVP honors as the Muhlenberg College football team closed out the regular season with a 24-12 win against rival Moravian.

The Mules (8-2), who have won six in a row and finished in sole possession of second place in the Centennial Conference, will await word on an ECAC playoff berth. The Greyhounds closed their season with a 2-8 mark.
Muhlenberg's Cody Geyer caught a career-high 10 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns to notch just the fourth 1,000-yard receiving season in program history. Moravian's Chris Negron became the first Centennial Conference freshman to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, gaining 137 yards in the game to up his season total to 1,052.

The Mules held an advantage of 40:18 to 19:42 in time of possession and had four drives of 12 plays or more but took just a 10-6 lead into the fourth quarter. Muhlenberg scored on a 2-yard run by Van Laar with 1:37 left in the first quarter, capping a 34-yard drive after Geyer's 28-yard punt return. The Mules drove into Moravian territory two other times, but were stopped on downs once and missed a 29-yard field goal.

The Greyhounds got on the board immediately after the missed field goal, marching 80 yards in eight plays and scoring on a 5-yard keeper by quarterback Robbie Moyer. But the snap on the extra point was low, and Moravian could not get the kick off, keeping the score 7-6.

Connor Winter's 18-yard field goal with 6.7 seconds left in the half gave Muhlenberg a 10-6 lead and capped a drive that included a 45-yard run by Joe Hogh on a fake punt from the Mules' 28.

The third quarter was scoreless but featured plenty of action, with the teams trading interceptions and Moravian coming up empty on two trips inside the 10. Michael Long blocked a 25-yard field goal try on the first one, and on the second the Greyhounds were stopped on fourth-and-2 from the 6.

Following the stop, Muhlenberg embarked on a 15-play, 94-yard march that took 6:27 off the clock. Van Laar carried nine times for 44 yards on the drive, and Joe Carlucci, who came on in relief in the third quarter, was a perfect 3-for-3, throwing a 19-yard pass to Geyer for a touchdown to make it 17-6 with 11:56 left in the fourth.

Just 32 seconds later, it was 24-6. Winter's onside kick was recovered by Michael Hovan, and two plays after than Carlucci connected with Geyer from 45 yards out.

Moyer's 31-yard scoring pass to Will McLaughlin with 8:31 to play cut the lead to 24-12, but the Mules forced a three-and-out on Moravian's next possession, then ran the final 5:35 off the clock.

Kevin Bracken was named game MVP for Moravian after recording 18 tackles, an interception and a pass breakup. Moyer rushed for 73 yards on 15 carries and passed for 118 yards.

Matt Pagano made a team-leading nine tackles for the Mules, while Jeremey Thomas had two pass breakups and a sack.

Jan. 5: All times Eastern
Final
at North Central (Ill.) 41, Mount Union 25
@ Houston, TX,
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