North Andover, Mass. – Merrimack College football opened its home schedule in dominant fashion on Saturday afternoon, defeating Saint Anselm College 31–6 at Duane Stadium. The Warriors controlled all three phases of the game, building a commanding first-half lead and never looked back.
The Basics
- Score: Merrimack 31, Saint Anselm 6
- Records: Merrimack (1–1), Saint Anselm (0–2)
How It Happened
Merrimack struck first midway through the opening quarter when
Ayden Pereira capped a methodical drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to
Cade Callahan, giving the Warriors a 7–0 lead. The defense forced a quick stop, and Merrimack extended the advantage to 10–0 later in the quarter on a
Carlton Thai 29-yard field goal. Early in the second quarter, the Warriors doubled their lead.
Aveon Smith powered into the end zone from six yards out, and Thai's extra point pushed the margin to 17–0 heading into halftime.
The offense picked up right where it left off in the third quarter. On the first drive of the half,
Brendon Wyatt broke free for a 39-yard touchdown run, stretching the lead to 24–0. Saint Anselm managed to get on the board in the fourth quarter on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Drew Forkner to Jaidin Haynes, but the Hawks' two-point try failed, leaving the score 24–6. Merrimack closed the door on the very next possession as
Nasir Maryland returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown, sealing the 31–6 victory.
Notes & Numbers
- Pereira threw for 239 yards and a touchdown in the win.
- Wyatt led the rushing attack with 74 yards on just eight carries, including his 39-yard score.
- Maryland's pick-six was the second interception of his Merrimack career.
- The Warriors defense held Saint Anselm to 199 total yards and just 10 first downs.
Up Next
Merrimack will get back to action on Saturday night at Kennesaw State University. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
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