Box Score NEWARK, Del. – After falling behind by double digits in the first half, the Elon Phoenix attempted a rally, but fell just short in a 34-24 loss at Delaware on a cool and cloudy Saturday afternoon. It was the first-ever meeting between the two programs on the gridiron.

"We built too big of a hole in the first half," said Elon head coach Rich Skrosky. It was a valiant effort in the second half, but we came up short."

Trailing 27-3 at halftime, the Phoenix (1-5, 0-2) clawed back in the second half. Elon went 66 yards in 11 plays on the opening drive of the half as a Mike Quinn five-yard touchdown pass to Justin Osborne made it a 27-10 game, the first score of Osborne's career. During the drive, the maroon and gold faced a fourth-and-one at the Delaware 23 when Tracey Coppedge picked up two yards.

Later in the period, Elon started at its own 10 with 3:52 remaining in the third quarter. A toss from Quinn to Kierre Brown for a gain of 22 yards started the drive and two plays later, Quinn hit Andre Davis for a 20-yard pickup. The Phoenix earned a first-and-goal at the UD 10, but had two incomplete passes and a rush for no yards to set up fourth-and-goal. Quinn dropped back and lofted a pass into the corner of the end zone where Tre Lennon hauled in the first TD catch of his career.

After the Blue Hens (4-2, 2-0) regained a 17-point cushion, 34-17, on a fourth-quarter touchdown, the Phoenix drove 76 yards on just seven plays to pull back within 10 points. On the drive, Quinn completed four of his five passes, including a 35-yard touchdown toss to a streaking Lennon.

Elon would have two more possessions, but was unable to pull any closer.

Delaware was the first to score as Nick Boyle hauled in a one-yard toss from Trent Hurley with 7:29 left in the first quarter. The PAT missed and the Blue Hens held a 6-0 edge.

The Phoenix trimmed its deficit in half when John Gallagher split the uprights with a 37-yard field goal less than three minutes into the second quarter.

Three Delaware scores late in the first half gave the Blue Hens the 27-3 edge at the break.

In the first half, Quinn, who threw for 291 yards, surpassed the 4,000-yard mark for his career. He is just the fifth Elon quarterback to ever throw for 4,000 or more yards.

Lennon finished the day with 95 receiving yards on seven receptions. Coppedge ran for 91 yards on 24 carries and added 14 receiving yards on four grabs.

Defensively, Jonathan Spain made 10 total tackles. Marquise Wright, Rob Sullivan and Robert Davis all had one sack for the Phoenix.

Elon will return home next Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. Homecoming bout with Stony Brook.