Gulls Stopped at the Goal Line as Muhlenberg Hands Endicott 28–20 Defeat

By Paul Vangos –

Endicott’s push for a second straight win came up short on September 13, as the Gulls fell 28-20 to Muhlenberg in non-conference action at Hempstead Stadium. Despite a pair of second-half surges from freshman running back Bryan Ferreira, the Mules controlled enough key moments to spoil Endicott’s home momentum.

The Gulls traded early scoring punches with Muhlenberg. Bryan Metayer tied the game at 7-7 with a one-yard run at 6:55 in the first quarter, but the Mules responded quickly and decisively. Muhlenberg hit for a 46-yard passing touchdown late in the first quarter at 1:43, completing an eight-play, 70-yard drive, and extended the lead early in the second with a 13-yard touchdown pass at 12:38. Endicott couldn’t slow that stretch, and the Mules carried a 20-7 advantage into halftime after outscoring the Gulls 13-0 following Metayer’s run.

Endicott leaned on Ferreira to claw back into contention. The freshman tailback delivered two touchdowns on the day, both critical momentum plays. His 10-yard run with 33 seconds left in the third quarter cut the deficit to 20-14, injecting life back into the home sideline. But Muhlenberg responded early in the fourth with a 12-yard touchdown pass and a successful two-point conversion, pushing the margin to 28-14 with 12:05 remaining.

Ferreira struck again, punching in a one-yard score at 8:16 to pull Endicott within 28-20. From there, the defense provided exactly what the Gulls needed, producing a stop with 4:54 left to set up a potential game-tying drive. Endicott marched deep into Mules territory before facing a decisive 4th-and-1 at the Muhlenberg five-yard line. The Mules stiffened and stuffed the rushing attempt for a four-yard loss, ending the comeback bid.

The matchup marked the first-ever meeting between the programs and delivered several standout individual efforts for Endicott. Ferreira notched the first two touchdowns of his college career. Metayer added his seventh career rushing score. Jayson Little posted career highs with five receptions and 74 yards, while Danny Fleming continued his strong start by recording a career-high 11 tackles, marking his second straight double-digit performance. Brian Daly contributed on special teams by blocking an extra point on Muhlenberg’s second touchdown of the opening quarter.

With the result, the Mules snapped Endicott’s six-game home winning streak, while the Gulls now turn their focus toward rebounding from a tightly contested setback.