University of Maine
Stony Brook
Football Drops Contest at Stony Brook, 19-7
10/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- The University of Maine football team (2-4, 1-2 Colonial Athletic Association) came out of the gates strong as Dan Collins (Williamstown, N.J.) hit Jeremy Salmon (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) for a 73-yard score on the Black Bears' second-play but Stony Brook (3-4, 2-1 CAA) held Maine without a point the rest of the way, defeating the Black Bears 19-7 on Saturday evening.
Collins finished the contest 12-for-25 with 117 yards and a touchdown while Jordan Dunn (Hamilton, N.J.) finished with a team-high five catches for 19 yards.
The Black Bears' defense was called upon often as they were on the field for a total of 40:59. Christophe Mulumba Tshimanga (Laval, Que.) paced the Black Hole attack with a game-high 12 tackles while Cabrinni Goncalves (Taunton, Mass.) and Trevor Bates (Westbrook, Maine) added nine and seven stops, respectively. Patrick Ricard (Spencer, Mass.) made six stops, including a sack and three tackles for loss.
The Seawolves defense held Maine to 135-yard of total offense with three sacks and nine total tackles for loss, led by Christian Ricard's six tackles and Jeremy Leggiero's two sacks.
Stony Brook quarterback Conor Bednarski went 14-for-20 with 140 yards and a touchdown while Stacey Bedell rushed for 127-yards and a score.
Maine wasted no time getting on the board as Collins rolled to his right before hitting Jeremy Salmon (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) for a 73-yard strike on Maine's second play from scrimmage, just 50-seconds into the first quarter. The play was Salmon's first career touchdown and also Maine's longest play from scrimmage this season.
Maine's defense came up big on several occasions in the first half, its biggest coming when it shut down Stony Brook from the Maine 10 yard line, holding the Seawolves offense to a 22-yard field goal late in the second quarter. A nine-yard sack from Ricard in the first quarter and a fourth down incompletion from the Seawolves late in the second proved to also be key first half drive stoppers.
Powered by a solid first half defensive effort, the Black Bears carried a 7-3 lead into the half. Despite being on the field for 20:39 in the opening half, Maine's defense was able to hold the Seawolves to only a field goal. Goncalves swarmed the ball in the half, tallying eight stops in the first half while Mulumba Tshimanga and Bates each added six.
Stony Brook's offense got off to a rapid start in the second half as three-straight first down completions setup a 24-yard rushing score from Stacey Bedell.
The Seawolves extended their lead on a 10-yard strike from Bednarski to Will Tye with 2:38 remaining in the third quarter.
Maine's offense began to stall in the second half as it was shut down on a 4th and one. The Seawolves took advantage, converting on a 35-yard field goal to advance their lead to 19-7 with 6:26 left in the second half, a score they would not relinquish.
Maine returns to Alfond Stadium when it host Albany on homecoming weekend, Saturday, Oct. 18 at 12:30 PM live on WVII/WPME and FOX College Sports.
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