Another busy weekend of UMaine sports action also included the first two preseason basketball games that took place at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
At Williamsburg, Virginia Saturday the Maine football team captured their fifth consecutive victory with a 35-28 Colonial Athletic Association win over William and Mary before 9,124 fans at Zable Stadium.
The Black Bears built a 13-0 lead after one quarter and a 28-14 halftime lead to improve to 5-3 overall and 4-1 in the CAA.
Maine needed a big play from the defense in the closing moments for the second week in a row, as Jason Matovu forced a fumble on the final drive by the Tribe that was recovered by Najee Goode at the Bears 20 yard line to seal the win.
Micah Wright scored a pair of touchdowns, including a 67 yard punt return for a score. Quarterback Dan Collins was 19-33 passing, 280 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Josh Mack had 59 yards rushing and a score, while Zaire Williams had 54 yards and a touchdown. Earnest Edwards had 43 yards and a touchdown, while tightend Jeremy Salmon had his best game of the year with four catches and 68 yards, as the Bears finished with 466 yards of total offense. Matovu had nine tackles to lead the defense, while Sterling Sheffield had eight.
William and Mary (3-5, 1-4 CAA) was led by quarterback Steve Cluley and tailback Kendell Anderson. Cluley was 26-45 passing, 285 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Cluley also rushed seven times for 24 yards and a score. Anderson rushed 22 times, 151 yards, and two touchdowns.
Maine will return home next Saturday at noon when they host Villanova. William and Mary travels to Stony Brook Saturday for a 2 p.m. kickoff with the Seawolves.
The Maine Mens Ice Hockey team tied with Colgate Friday night before falling Saturday in games played at Class of 1965 Arena in Hamilton, New York.
Chase Pearson and Nolan Vesey scored 7:47 apart in the middle period Friday night to stake the Black Bears to a 2-0 lead after two, only to see Colgate get goals from Tyler Penner and Bobby McCann in the third period to force overtime, as the game ended as a 2-2 tie. Rob McGovern made 39 saves as Maine was outshot 41-31.
Saturday night Maine would start slow getting into a quick 3-1 deficit after one period. The Bears would battle back and eventually tie it in the third period on goals from Blaine Byron and Pearson 2:58 apart to make it 3-3. But the Raiders from Colgate scored a powerplay goal with just 3:54 left, and also added a late unassisted goal to make it 5-3 and pick up their win of the season (1-3-3). Matt Morris made 37 saves in his first start of the season in net. Ryan Smith had the other Black Bear goal.
Maine is now 3-3-2 on the season and 0-3-2 in their last five games. Maine will begin Hockey East Conference play Friday night when they host Boston College at 7 p.m. at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, before welcoming the Eagles to the Alfond Arena in Orono Saturday at 7:30 to finish up the home two game series. Colgate visits Harvard and Dartmouth Friday and Saturday at 7 to begin their conference play in the ECAC.
The Maine Womens Ice Hockey team dropped a pair of Hockey East games this weekend. Maine lost 3-2 at Providence Friday night, before falling 3-2 at the Alfond Sunday in a home contest with Vermont.
Catherine Tufts helped Maine jump to a 2-0 lead Friday at Providence by scoring two first period goals. The Friars scored three unanswered goals in the third period to pick up the win.
Sunday Vermont took a 2-0 lead before the Bears tied it on third period goals from Brooke Stacey and Morgan Sakundiak 2:49 apart. The Catamounts would get a goal from Kourtney Menches though just 1:15 later to steal the win.
Maine is now 2-8 overall and 1-5 in Hockey East. The Bears play a single game next Saturday when they travel to Northeastern for a 2 p.m. faceoff.
The UMaine Field Hockey team wrapped the #2 seed for the upcoming America East playoffs by easily defeating UNH at home Friday 5-1, and Vermont at Burlington 4-1 Sunday.
On Senior Day at the Maine Field Hockey Complex Friday in Orono, Samantha Wagg scored a pair of goals to lead the Bears to victory over the rival Wildcats from UNH. Emma Cochran improved her record to 7-3 by playing the second half in net and earning the win.
At Burlington Sunday, the Vermont Catamounts struck first before Maine scored four goals in a row including a two goal day from Brianna Ricker to take the win.
Emily Corbett got the win in net to improve to 6-3. Maine finished the regular season 13-6 overall and 6-2 in America East. Maine will face #3 seed University of California on Friday at 3 p.m. in the quarterfinal round of the America East playoffs.
In preseason basketball both the Mens and Womens teams were in action this weekend at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
On Saturday the Mens team defeated Husson University by a score of 108-79.
Ilker Er led the way with 17 points for the Bears while Raheem Anderson had 25 points for the Eagles. Maine will play one more preseason game when it faces UMaine-Fort Kent Saturday 30 minutes after the Maine football game at Memorial Gymnasium (The Pit) on the UMaine campus. Maine opens regular season play at Virginia Tech on Friday, November 11 at 9 p.m.
The Maine Womens basketball team played Stonehill College in an exhibition on Sunday and came away with a 74-54 win.
Freshman Laia Sole scored 21 points to lead the way for the Bears. Kelly Martin led the Skyhawks from Stonehill with 25 points.
Maine begins regular season action on Friday, November 11th in the Tip-Off Tournament at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor when it hosts Purdue at 5 p.m. The Bears then face either Mississippi State or Villanova the next night at 7 p.m.
