WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (Oct.
27, 2012) - 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.
