Nov 15, 2003

Final Stats

ORONO, Maine (AP) - Ron Whitcomb completed 13 of 24 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown Saturday as Maine kept its slim postseason hopes alive with a 14-10 win over Villanova.

Maine (7-4, 5-3 Atlantic 10) held the leagues' most potent offense in check, limiting 13th-ranked Villanova (7-3, 5-3 A-10) to a season-low 273 yards. Wildcat Joe Casamento passed for only 134 yards on 18-for-33 accuracy.

Maine scored first when Manauris Arias intercepted a Casamento pass and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown. The PAT made it 7-0 with 8:15 left in the second quarter.

Villanova quickly turned the momentum with a 54-yard scoring drive capped by Casamentos' 1-yard sneak at the 3:33 mark. The kick made it 7-7. The ensuing kickoff hit a Maine player and was recovered by Villanova.

Villanova, which suffered its third loss in its last four games, led 10-7 at halftime after scoring 13 unanswered points late in the second quarter. The Wildcats capitalized on Adam James' 29-yard field goal, the last play of the half.

The Bears regained the lead at 13:54 in the third quarter after recovering a fumble at the Villanova 15-yard line. On the next play, Whitcomb found Christian Pereira in the end zone on a post pattern.

Marcus Williams was limited to 71 yards on 25 carries, but he rushed for 32 yards during a 4 1/2-minute drive late in the game that helped the Bears preserve the victory.