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UNH edges Maine

ORONO, Maine – Senior running back Dalton Crossan (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) rushed for 163 yards and a touchdown and sophomore kicker Morgan Ellman (Scotch Plains, N.Y.) kicked a field goal with seven seconds to play to lift the University of New Hampshire football team to a 24-21 win over bitter rival Maine on Saturday afternoon in Alfond Stadium.

The Wildcats retained the Brice-Cowell Musket that goes to the winner of the series and made a strong case for getting a 13th straight trip to the NCAA Division I FCS tournament.

UNH finished the regular season with a 7-4 overall record and 6-2 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association. Maine wrapped up at 6-5 and 5-3.

The 24-team field for the tournament will be announced during the FCS Selection Show Sunday at 11 a.m.

It was an impressive team win for the Wildcats who scored one touchdown passing, one rushing, one on defense on a 44-yard interception return by true freshman safety Pop Lacey (Reading, Pa.) and then closed it out with the field goal.

Senior quarterback Adam Riese (Hamilton, N.J.) came on in relief of injured starter Trevor Knight (Amherst) and completed 20 of his 37 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown.

COMING UP

  • The FCS Selection Show is Sunday at 11 a.m. on ESPNU.
  • The field for the 24-team tournament will be announced at that time.

1st QUARTER

  • Earnest Edwards’ wide receiver 13-yard pass to Jared Osumah opened the scoring with 2:07 left.
  • Lacey’s 44-yard interception return with Ellman’s conversion kick evened score at 7-7 with 46 seconds left.
  • Trevor Knight left game with a foot injury with about 4 minutes left in period.
  • Riese took over from there.

2ND QUARTER

  • UNH had a first down on the Maine 15-yard line with 10:55 left in the half but Riese threw a pass that was intercepted by Austin Brown.
  • The Wildcat offense mounted its best drive of the half in the last two minutes.
  • The Black Bears stuffed it with a goal line stand.

3RD QUARTER

  • Crossan broke free for a 35-yard TD run and Ellman’s kick UNH tied it 14-14 with 5:31 left in period.
  • Crossan had 61 yards in first half, 61 in the third period alone.

4TH QUARTER

  • Riese connected with sophomore Neil O’Connor (Leominster, Mass) for 10-yard TD pass with 12:22 left in the period.
  • Redshirt freshman Isiah Perkins (Williamstown, N.J.) intercepted a Collins’ pass at the UNH 13-yard line to stop a Maine drive with 8 minutes left.
  • Micah Wright caught a 29-yard TD pass from Collins with 5:02 left to tie the game.
  • Ellman kicked the 22-yard field goal with seven seconds left to win it.

‘CAT NIPS

  • The offense struggled in the first quarter and in 14 plays gained two yards, 169 rushing and 221 passng.
  • UNH finished with 390 yards of total offense.
  • The defense allowed 339 yards and came up with two turnovers.
  • Lacey had the first with his interception and TD return.
  • It was the first pick of his career.
  • Isiah Perkins (Williamstown, N.J.) also had a pick, the first of his career, in the fourth quarter.
  • Senior Casey DeAndrade (East Bridgewater, Mass.), sophomore linebacker Jared Kuehl (Plymouth) and redshirt freshman safety Michel Balsamo (Atkinson) each had six tackles to lead the defense.
  • Sophomore defensive end Kyle Reisert (Plymouth) had a quarterback sack.
  • Ellman has made seven of his 10 field goal attempts this season.
  • The Wildcat TD drives in the second half went 8 plays for 95 yards and 16 plays for 74 yards.
  • Senior tight end Jordan Powell (Forked River, N.J.) led UNH receivers with six catches for 43 yards.

TEAM STATS
Rushing: UNH 39-169. MAINE 64-295.
Passing: UNH 21-40-221-1, 1 TD. MAINE 12-29-146-2 3 TDs.
Total Offense: UNH 79-390. MAINE 64-339.
1st Downs: UNH- 20. MAINE 16.
Time of Possession: UNH 32:24. MAINE 27:36.
Penalties: UNH 5-45. MAINE 7-70.
Turnovers: UNH 1. MAINE 2.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: UNH – Crossan  25-163. MAINE – Josh Mack  21-77.
Receiving: UNH- Jordan Powell 6-43. MAINE – Wright – 5-21, 2 TD.
Passing: UNH- Riese 20-37-218, 1 TD. MAINE – Dan Collins 11-28-202, 3 TDs.
Tackles: UNH- DeAndrade 4-2-6, Kuehl 3-3-6, Balsamo 2-4-6.  MAINE – Christophe Mulumba Tshimanga 7-4-11.

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