Football falls short against Elon

Saturday, October 9

Orono, ME

12:00 PM

University of Maine

1-4 , 0-3

Elon University

3-3 , 2-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Elon	13	6	7	7	33
Maine	3	7	13	0	23

Photo by: Hayden Friel

10/9/2021 4:35:00 PM | Football

Box Score Highlights

Andre Miller tallies eight receptions for career-high 176 yards

Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine football team rattled off 13 unanswered points late in the third quarter to pull within three of visiting Elon but it would not be enough as the Phoenix escaped Orono with a 33-23 victory. The loss slips Maine to 1-4 overall and 0-3 in Colonial Athletic Association action while Elon improves to 3-3 and 2-1 in league play.

Andre Miller finished the day with a season best eight receptions and a career-high 176 yards. The receiving yardage was the most by a Black Bear since Earnest Edwards registered 196 yards at William & Mary in 2018. Quarterback Derek Robertson threw completed a career-high 19 passes for a career-best 283 yards to go along with a touchdown pass to tight end Shawn Bowman. Bowman finished the day with five catches for 50 yards. Maine boasted a season-high 365 total yards of offense on the day.

Trevin Ewing's electric kickoff return was the highlight of the day for Maine, as the redshirt freshman took a third quarter kickoff 96-yards in for a touchdown late in the third quarter.

Defensively, Maine featured a trio of tacklers in double-figures as Austin Chambers, Ray Miller, and Shakur Smalls each finished with 10 stops. For Chambers and Smalls, the 10 tackles marked career-highs for the duo.

Elon, which finished the day 12-for-16 on third down conversions, was led by quarterback Davis Cheek who went 29-for-37 for 332 yards and four touchdowns, three of which coming through the air.

The Phoenix opened the scoring with 8:08 left in the first quarter when Cheek hit Donovan Williams for a nine yard touchdown completion.

Maine responded just over two minutes later when it completed a six play, 56-yard drive with a season-high 40 yard field goal from Jonny Messina.

Cheek completed his second touchdown pass of the first quarter, this one going for 30-yards to Jaylan Thomas. However, Josh Lezin was able to extend high above the line to block the point after as Elon's lead would stand at 13-3 after one quarter.

Cheek tacked on his third touchdown of the opening half when he hit Bryson Daughtry for a 39-yard touchdown with 2:41 left in the second quarter.

Maine, working out of the two-minute drill, would quickly move the ball down the field as Robertson hit Miller for a 22-yard completion before finding Devin Young for a 16-yard gain. Three plays later, with 35-seconds on the clock, Robertson hit Bowman at the goal line for a 25-yard touchdown. Maine would enter the half trailing, 19-10.

A missed field goal on Maine's opening drive of the second half would allow Elon to start its first drive of the third quarter at its own 20. The Phoenix marched down the field, ending with a one yard rushing touchdown from Cheek.

Maine responded immediately when Ewing took the ensuing kickoff 96-yards for a touchdown. Following a three-and-out and an Elon punt, Maine would take over on its own 30. A 55-yard pass from Robertson to Miller set Maine up at the Elon eight before Zavier Scott rushed in for the score as the Black Bears trimmed the lead to three, 26-23.

Elon went back up by two scores when McKinley Witherspoon rushed into the end zone from two yards out.

Trailing by 10, Maine's offense went back to work. An eleven play, 51-yard drive set Maine up for a 34-yard field goal attempt to cut the lead to seven. However, Elon was able to block the field goal attempt with under five minutes to play.

The Black Bears would ultimately run out of time, dropping the contest by a final of 33-23.

Maine is back in action when it hosts William & Mary for Homecoming Weekend in Orono on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 12 p.m. Tickets are available by visiting the UMaine Athletics Box Office, by phone at 207.581.BEAR or online at GoBlackBears.com/tickets.

-UMaine-