Quarterback Carter Peevy’s 1-yard touchdown run with 6:49 remaining gave the University of Maine football team its third straight win, 20-13, over Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass. on Saturday afternoon.
Both teams are now 3-4. It is the first three-game winning streak for UMaine fourth-year head coach Jordan Stevens, and Sunday’s game was Merrimack’s first home loss after three wins.
A fumble recovery by cornerback Vincent Nwachi at the UMaine 38-yard line set up the game-winning nine-play, 62-yard drive that culminated in Peevy’s TD.
Sophomore running back Rashawn Marshall carried the ball four times for 35 yards and Peevy completed a 21-yard pass to Scott Woods to move the ball to the Merrimack 3-yard line. Sivert Klefsaas picked up two yards on a run before Peevy scored.
The UMaine defense forced a Merrimack punt and, after UMaine moved the ball into Merrimack territory, Anthony Pecorella’s punt pinned Merrimack back at its 2-yard line. Free safety Devin Vaught’s interception sewed up the win.
The Black Bears took a 13-10 lead into the intermission but Carlton Thai’s 34-yard field goal tied it up for Merrimack midway through the third period.
Cape Elizabeth’s Nick Laughlin staked UMaine to a 7-0 lead with a 1-yard touchdown plunge that capped an eight-play, 71-yard drive with 5:15 left in the first period. He carried the ball three times for 44 yards on the drive but was injured on his touchdown run and didn’t return.
Merrimack quarterback and former UMaine backup quarterback Ayden Pereira answered 4:40 later with a 26-yard TD pass to Seth Sweitzer.
Kicker Samuel Tremblay kicked a 39-yard field goal with nine minutes left in the second period to give UMaine a 10-7 lead. Thai’s 46-yarder tied it, but Tremblay answered with a 35-yarder with 33 seconds left in the half to restore the three-point lead.
The Warriors marched down the field in the final seconds but Thai’s 49-yard field goal attempt was blocked.
Marshall rushed for 146 yards on 19 carries and Klefsaas added 35 yards on five carries, all in the second half.
Peevy, a graduate student, completed 12 of 25 passes for 159 yards and Woods had four catches for 75 yards.
Pereira carried the ball 15 times for 131 yards and completed 14 of 19 passes for another 129 yards. Sweitzer had four receptions for 51 yards.
Linebacker Christian Thomas’ seven tackles, nose tackle Jaedin Lee’s six and Vaught’s five paced the UMaine defense. Merrimack linebacker D.J. Frazier had a game-high 10 tackles.
UMaine is off next weekend and will host Elon for its homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. Merrimack will travel to take on Harvard next Saturday at noon.
