## ECU Football Suffers First Loss Under Harrell, Falls To Navy 34

### Game Summary

The Pirates (2-1) led 27-14 early in the fourth quarter, but the Midshipmen (2-1) rallied with 20 unanswered points to secure the victory. Navy quarterback Tai Lavatai threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Maquel Haywood rushed for 145 yards.

ECU quarterback Holton Ahlers completed 28 of 47 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions. Running back Keaton Mitchell led the Pirates rushing attack with 87 yards on 16 carries.

### Navy’s Comeback

Navy’s comeback was sparked by a 70-yard touchdown pass from Lavatai to wide receiver Jayden Umbarger late in the third quarter. The Midshipmen then tied the game with a 1-yard touchdown run by Haywood with 11:44 remaining in the fourth quarter.

After ECU missed a field goal on the ensuing possession, Navy took the lead for good with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Lavatai to wide receiver Mychal Cooper with 6:33 remaining.

### ECU’s Mistakes

The Pirates made several costly mistakes in the fourth quarter that contributed to their loss. Ahlers threw two interceptions, and the ECU defense allowed Navy to convert two fourth-down attempts.

### Aftermath

The loss drops ECU to 2-1 on the season, while Navy improves to 2-1. The Pirates will return to action on Saturday, September 24, when they host the South Carolina Gamecocks.

### Coach Harrell’s Comments

“I’m disappointed in the outcome, but I saw some good things from our team tonight,” Harrell said. “We made too many mistakes in the fourth quarter, and Navy capitalized on them. We’ll learn from this and move on.”