FAIRFIELD, Conn. – In front of a packed Family Weekend audience at Campus Field, the Sacred Heart University football team erased a two-touchdown deficit and surged past Delaware State for a thrilling 35–31 home victory. 

The victory extends the Pioneers' winning streak to three games while ending the Hornets' three-game run heading into week six. 

Final Score:
Sacred Heart 35
Delaware State 31

Records:
Sacred Heart (4-1)
Delaware State (3-2)

Of Note:
Today's win pushes the Pioneers to 4–1, their best five-game start since the 2016 season. Sacred Heart came out of the gates hot that fall with four straight victories over Stetson, Valparaiso, Marist, and Stony Brook before suffering a road setback at Wagner.

Top Performers
Offense: 
(QB) Jack Snyder – Passing (28-36, 298 yds, 2 TDs) | Rushing (14 attempts, 51 yds, 1 TD)
(WR) Jason Palmieri – 5 receptions | 63 yards | 2 TDs
(WR) Kevin McGuire – 10 receptions | 78 yards
(RB) Mitchell Summers – Receiving (4 receptions, 93 yds) | Rushing (20 attempts, 77 yds, 1 TD)

Defense:
(S) Kymari Latney – 6 tackles
(DL) Peter Schanne – 5 tackles |1.0/6 TFL-Yds | 0.5/5 Sack-Yds
(DL) Glory Stephen-Wangboje – 5 tackles | 1.0/6 TFL-Yds | 0.5/3 Sack-Yds | 1 pass break up | 2 quarterback hurries

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Sacred Heart answered Delaware State's opening score with a sharp 75-yard, 11-play drive. Jack Snyder kept the chains moving with short strikes to Payton Rhoades and Kevin McGuire before Mitchell Summers punched it in from four yards out to tie the game at 7–7.

The Hornets countered quickly, marching 75 yards in seven plays and capping the series with a Kaiden Bennett touchdown run to take a 14–7 lead after one.

The second quarter turned into a track meet. Matt Kling's 31-yard field goal cut the deficit to 14–10, but Delaware State extended the lead to 21–10 behind a Marquis Gillis rushing score. The Pioneers struck back with a balanced 75-yard march, aided by a targeting penalty, before Snyder broke loose for a 15-yard touchdown run to pull within 21–17. 

On the very next snap, however, Ryan Pellum-Taylor hauled in a 75-yard bomb from Jayden Sauray, and the Hornets added a late 33-yard field goal to push ahead 31–17. Sacred Heart kept pace, driving 61 yards in the final two minutes and cashing in on Kling's 31-yarder as time expired to stay within 31–20 at halftime.

The Pioneers seized momentum in the third. A crisp 80-yard drive featured hard runs from Trey Eberhart and timely throws from Snyder, who then connected with Jason Palmieri for a 41-yard touchdown strike to make it 31–28. A roughing-the-passer penalty on the play helped flip field position, and SHU's defense locked down the rest of the quarter, holding the Hornets scoreless.

The stage was set for a thrilling finish. Midway through the fourth, Snyder and the Pioneers ground out a 65-yard drive, converting three third downs before Snyder found Palmieri again—this time from six yards—for Sacred Heart's first lead of the game at 35–31. Kling's extra point was true, and the defense took care of the rest, smothering Delaware State's comeback hopes and sealing a statement win on Family Weekend.

UP NEXT
The Pioneers hit the road next week, making the short trip up I-84 for an in-state showdown with Central Connecticut State at 12 pm.