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NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Winners of three straight games, the Merrimack College football program will hit the road for the final time in 2018 when it takes on an upstart Pace University team on Saturday (Nov. 2) afternoon for a Northeast-10 Conference clash. Kickoff from Pace Stadium is set for 12 p.m.
Five Things to Know
- Merrimack secured its third straight victory at home against AIC last Saturday thanks to a 14-point first half, which was all Merrimack needed to defeat the Yellow Jackets, 14-0, on Homecoming Weekend. Battling nor'easter conditions throughout the afternoon, sophomore quarterback Cam Hayes was brilliant in orchestrating a pair of first-half scoring drives, scoring one himself on a seven-yard rush and throwing for another in the second quarter, and the defense took care of the rest with a monster second half that resulted in the team's first shutout win in nearly a decade.
- Redshirt sophomore Michael Mercuri continued to solidify himself as one of the Warriors' top defensive - and overall - players with another stellar outing in last Saturday's win. He had a team-high seven tackles (4 solo) with one tackle for a loss and a pass breakup. Senior defensive lineman Jesse Jones added an impressive performance on the defensive side of the ball as well with five total tackles (4 solo).
- Merrimack and Pace will be meeting for the 19th time on Saturday, and to say the series has been lopsided in the Warriors' favor would be an understatement. Merrimack has won all of the previous 18 showdowns in a series that dates back to 2001. Last season, the Warriors opened the Duane Stadium era with a 44-10 victory against the Setters.
- A pair of Warriors were honored at the conference level for their efforts in last Saturday's win; Hayes was named NE10 Offensive Player of the Week after he set a season high in rushing yards against AIC with 44 along with his first rushing touchdown. The sophomore completed 16-of-21 passes for 202 yards and had a say in both scores, a seven-yard keeper and a nine-yard pass. He also added 44 rushing yards rushing on a career-high 14 attempts. Junior punter Grant LaButte was the NE10 Special Teams Player of the Week after pinning the Yellow Jackets deep with three punts inside the 20 while averaging 35 yards per punt, totaling 245 yards on seven kicks.
- At the conference level, freshman quarterback Christian Carter ranks second averaging 241.8 passing yards per game and fourth with 14 passing touchdowns. Senior Cody Demers leads the league averaging 95.8 receiving yards per game and tied for third with six touchdowns, along with junior Marquis Spence, who scored his sixth of the season last time out; Spence ranks fifth in receiving yards per game (67.3), as well. Finally, Mercuri has four sacks on the year, which is tied for fourth in the conference.
Inside the Matchup:
| Merrimack (4-4, 4-3 NE10) |
Category |
Pace (5-3, 4-3 NE10) |
| 10/27 vs AIC (W, 14-0) |
Last Time Out |
10/27 vs SCSU (W, 14-7) |
| 23.88 |
Scoring Offense |
21.88 |
| 30.25 |
Scoring Defense |
25.0 |
| 132.0 |
Rushing Offense |
190.6 |
| 253.25 |
Passing Offense |
153.63 |
| 385.3 |
Total Offense |
344.3 |
| 408.3 |
Opp. Total Offense |
317.9 |
| 6 |
Interceptions (Def.) |
9 |
| 12/5 |
Fumbles/Lost |
8/4 |
| 31:14 |
Time of Possession |
31:56 |
| 43.20% |
3rd-Down Conversions |
31.78% |
| 37.74% |
Opp. 3rd-Down Conversions |
36.04% |
| 13-86 |
Sacks/Yards |
19/103 |
| 21/27 (77%) |
Red-Zone Scores |
17/25 (68%) |
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Up Next
Merrimack concludes the 2018 campaign at home against Southern Connecticut State on Senior Day next Saturday, Nov. 10. Kickoff from Duane Stadium is set for 1 p.m., and the annual Senior Day Ceremony will follow the conclusion of the game.
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