Written by Christian Bateman
NORFOLK, Va. — East Carolina picked up its first win of the season Saturday night, defeating Old Dominion 20-17 at S.B. Ballard Stadium in a hard-fought regional matchup between two neighboring Group of Five programs.
The Pirates found their spark in the second half, putting together a critical 13-0 run that shifted the momentum and ultimately helped ECU secure the victory.
One of the major storylines entering the matchup was Old Dominion head coach Ricky Rahne’s 0-2 record against East Carolina. After Saturday night’s result, Rahne is now 0-3 all-time against the Pirates.
ECU’s defense came alive after halftime, setting the tone and repeatedly putting pressure on the Monarchs’ offense.
Head coach Blake Harrell credited Ayden Duncanson for making a pivotal play when the Pirates needed it most.
“Ayden Duncanson is a young man who has worked his tail off for the last couple of years. We put him down there in coverage, and he was just able to pick that ball off up the middle and take it to the house.”
The interception return for a touchdown provided ECU with a major momentum swing.
Harrell also emphasized the importance of establishing the tempo coming out of halftime.
“I talked to our team at halftime about just coming out after the half and setting the tempo.”
ECU’s defense continued to make plays throughout the night, including a fumble recovery by defensive lineman Miles Parker. The Pirates consistently found ways to get the Monarchs off the field and win key moments defensively.
Old Dominion running back Devin Roche was a bright spot for the Monarchs, carrying the ball 18 times for 102 yards.
The Pirates also received contributions from their running game, with TJ Engleman Jr. carrying 16 times for 99 yards while averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
With Brock Spalding and Landon Sides unavailable, several ECU receivers stepped up. Dillon Lorrick, Ishmael Smith-Flores and Ray Ray Joseph combined for 78 receiving yards and helped keep the Pirates’ passing attack moving.
ECU’s offense also came through with a memorable touchdown connection. With 6:44 remaining in the first quarter, Emory Williams took the snap and looked to make a play with his legs before pitching the ball back to Jason Dickerson. Dickerson delivered a perfectly placed pass to Ja’Keith Hamilton, who was wide open for a 25-yard touchdown.
The big play helped energize the Pirate faithful and gave ECU an early 7-0 advantage.
Old Dominion responded by taking control of the game and scoring 17 points, but ECU continued to battle. The Pirates eventually tied the game at 17-17 before the defense and special teams helped set the stage for the decisive score.
After ECU’s offense was stopped in the red zone, Noah Perez stepped up and connected on a 24-yard field goal with 9:39 remaining, giving the Pirates a 20-17 lead.
From there, ECU’s defense closed the door.
The Pirates protected the football down the stretch and capitalized on costly Old Dominion penalties, including multiple false-start and pass-interference penalties that disrupted the Monarchs’ final opportunities.
Mitch Griffis eventually led the Pirates into victory formation, securing ECU’s first win of the season and extending the program’s winning streak against Old Dominion to two consecutive games.
For ECU, the victory was about more than just the final score. A strong second-half defensive performance, timely offensive execution and contributions from several players helped the Pirates find a way to finish the night with a 20-17 road victory.
The win also marked another successful chapter in Blake Harrell’s history against Old Dominion, dating back to his time as ECU’s defensive coordinator in 2024