The William and Mary football team fell to Maine, 24-10, on homecoming Saturday afternoon at Zable Stadium.
After Maine (3-5, 2-3) scored on its first three possessions to build a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter, W&M (2-6, 1-4) closed the margin to just a touchdown early in the fourth quarter but was unable to complete the comeback.
Although Maine outgained the Tribe by a narrow 357-346 margin, the Black Bears capitalized on all four of their trips into the red zone while W&M converted on just one of its three opportunities.
UM quarterback Marcus Wasilewski completed 19 of 24 passes for 191 yards with three touchdowns to lead the Black Bears offensively, while wide receiver Damarr Aultman recorded a pair of touchdown receptions.
Sophomore wide receiver Sean Ballard led the Tribe with a career-high seven receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown, while sophomore running back Keith McBride II posted a game-high 85 rushing yards on 20 carries.
Defensively, junior safety Jerome Couplin III totaled a game-high 10 tackles, while senior linebacker Jabrel Mines recorded an interception and senior defensive tackle Nick Zaremba earned two tackles for a loss.
Maine opened the contest with a nine-play, 74-yard drive that culminated with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Wasilewski to wideout Maurice McDonald. It marked just the fourth time in the last 40 games that a W&M opponent has found the end zone on its opening possession.
The College looked as if it would answer with points on its first drive, but junior placekicker Drake Kuhn’s 34-yard attempt from the left hash missed wide to the left. A 27-yard run by McBride helped set up the scoring opportunity.
UM responded with 10 points on it next two possessions, as Sean Decloux kicked a 31-yard field goal late in the first quarter and Wasilewski connected with Aultman on a 12-yard touchdown strike with 11:30 showing in the second quarter.
A 26-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Raphael Ortiz to Ballard midway through the second quarter cut the deficit to 17-7.
After forcing a Maine punt on the Black Bears’ next possession, W&M put together an 11-play, 76-yard drive but was unable to score when a 29-yard field goal by Kuhn from the left hash missed wide to the left.
After a scoreless third quarter, W&M narrowed the margin to 17-10 with a 32-yard field goal by sophomore John Carpenter with 14:49 remaining in the contest. The 21-play, 84-yard drive lasted 8:55 and included three fourth-down conversions. The first conversion came on a 1-yard run by Ortiz on a fourth-and-1 from W&M’s 35-yard line, while the second was a 17-yard run by redshirt freshman linebacker on a fake punt on a fourth-and-11 at Maine’s 42-yard line. W&M also picked up a first down when a pass interference penalty was called on cornerback Darlos James on a fourth-and-15 from the UM 30-yard line.
Maine answered with the game’s final score, as a 3-yard touchdown pass from Wasilewski to Aultman on a third-and goal to put UM ahead, 24-10.
W&M moved into Maine territory one more time in the final minute, but the drive stalled at the UM 36-yard line.
With the loss, the College is now 49-35 in homecoming games.
The Tribe will return to action next weekend when it plays at No. 12 New Hampshire.
