Umaine Football Wins Its First Game Of The Season

ORONO — The University of Maine parlayed a late defensive stand, two clutch third-down runs and a pair of blocked extra points that were turned into two-point returns into a hard-fought 31-26 win over Merrimack College Saturday afternoon. UMaine improved to 1-2 while Merrimack fell to 2-1. Trailing 31-26, Merrimack marched down to UMaine’s five-yard line with seven minutes left but a running play for no gain, a pass that lost a yard thanks to a Vince Thomas tackle and two incompletions gave the ball back to UMaine and they ran out the clock thanks to Zavier Scott and Elijah Barnwell’s runs. Redshirt freshman Derek Robertson, filling in for the injured Joe Fagnano, turned in a nondescript performance in his first varsity start.