WORCESTER, MASS. – The Merrimack College football team dropped their season opener to #5 Holy Cross, 42-20. The Warriors hung tough through three quarters of play before the Crusaders pulled away in the fourth.
The Essentials
Score: #5 Holy Cross 42,
Merrimack 20
Records: Merrimack (0-1, 0-0 NEC) | #5 Holy Cross (1-0, 0-0 PL)
How It Happened
- After the Warriors won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, the Crusaders got the ball first. After allowing Holy Cross to get to their own 10-yard line, the Warriors turned the Crusaders over after a sack by both Tyler Leavy and Myles Taylor. Merrimack was forced to punt on their first offensive possession. A bad punt by the Crusaders gave the Warriors the by on the opposing team's 43-yard line. Merrimack would get three points out of the possession. Towards the end of the first quarter Holy Cross would find the endzone to take a 7-3 advantage.
- About four minutes into the second quarter, Tyvon Edmonds Jr. would find his way into the endzone for the first time of the season, giving the Warriors a three-point lead. On their next offensive possession Holy Cross would add a touchdown to regain a four-point led. A long possession the took seven-plus minutes ended in a quarterback sneak for Gavin McCusker, giving Merrimack back the lead. With under a minute to go before halftime, Tre Jordan III would grab a pick along the sideline, solidifying a halftime lead for the Warriors.
- The second half opened up with a Merrimack punt. The Crusaders would find the endzone with eight and a half minutes to play in the third, going up four. After a long, five-minute drive, Lliam Davis would nail a 22-yard field goal to pull within one. Holy Cross would score as time expired in the third to get the lead by eight.
- The Warriors would be forced to punt on their first possession of the fourth quarter. The Crusaders would tack on a touchdown to go up 15. After a Merrimack turnover on downs, Holy Cross would add another seven points. Merrimack would get one more shot but the drive stalled with a failure to convert on 4th down. Holy Cross would go on to drive the field and put up one more score to close it out with the final being 42-20.
Notes & Numbers
- Lliam Davis knocked down a 39-yard field goal in the first half.
- Merrimack lost the penalty battle 10-9
- The Warriors had 27 first downs in the game
- Merrimack went for 175 yards on the ground
- Nick Martino led Merrimack with 6 total tackles
- Edmonds Jr. ran for 85 yards and a touchdown
- Jordan III got his first INT of the year
- Merrimack dominated the time of possession, out-processing Holy Cross 38:32 to 19:34
Up next
The Warriors will play their home opener next Saturday against Lehigh University. Kick off is set for 4 p.m. at Duane Stadium.
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