BUZZARDS BAY, Mass -- Boasting a three-game winning streak coming into Saturday's game against the Lancers, Bucs football took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. That was the last lead the Bucs held as Worcester State outscored the Bucs 17-3 the rest of the way, winning the game, 17-10 over Maritime.

The Basics

Final: Lancers 17, Buccaneers 10

Records: Maritime 4-5 (4-4)

               Worcester 3-6 (3-5)

Inside The Numbers

Maritime

• Joseph Schwartz threw for 64 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
• John Dickinson led the Buccaneers' ground attack with 76 yards on 22 carries. Chase Dombroski added 49 yards on the ground on 11 carries.
• Slot back John Carlson caught one pass for 28 yards and a touchdown. 
• Santiago Martinez and Brennan Keefe both caught three passes for 59 and 34 yards, respectively. 
• Defensively, Jackson Mahoney led the Bucs with eight tackles, five solo.
• Mac Kromenhoek and Marcus Mauceri each had a sack in the game. 
• On special teams, Grayson Smith connected on a 30-yard field goal.

Worcester

• Quarterback MJ Bakaysa completed 12 of 16 passes for 151 yards. 
• Running back Jermaine Norfleet Jr. ran the ball six times for 14 yards and a touchdown.
• Wideout Lance Williams caught six passes for 86 yards. 
• Defensively, Damian Mitchell had an interception he returned 30 yards for a touchdown, to go along with one tackle.
• Aaron Becker made a game-high 14 tackles, 11 solo, and had a tackle for loss and three QB hurries.
• Patrick Dowd recorded 10 tackles, seven solo, and had a tackle for loss.
• Wil Vogel notched eight tackles, a sack, and two tackles for loss.
• On special teams, Louie Freitas converted a 32-yard field goal and punted five times for 172 yards, an average of 34.4 yards per punt.

How It Happened

Each team scored in the first quarter, but not until there were under three minutes left in the period. The Buccaneers struck first on a 28-yard touchdown connection between Schwartz and Carlson, giving the hosts a 7-0 lead. That advantage lasted two minutes and 33 seconds as the Lancers answered with a Norfleet two-yard run that tied the game at 7-7 at the end of the first. 

Neither team could muster any points in a second quarter that featured two turnovers on downs, one by each team, two missed field goals, and a punt. The Bucs and Lancers remained tied, 7-7, heading to the halftime break.

In the third quarter, the Buccaneers started with the ball. Evan Pierce was intercepted on a second-down play that Mitchell returned 30 yards to the end zone to give Worcester a 14-7 lead. On the Buccaneers' ensuing drive, they went 52 yards on 18 plays, matriculating the ball down the field. At the Worcester 13-yard line, the Bucs' drive stalled, and Smith connected from 30 yards to get the Buccaneers within four points, 14-10, heading to the fourth. 

As they did towards the end of the first on their drive immediately following a Buccaneer touchdown, Worcester followed up the Bucs' field goal with three points of their own to open the fourth quarter. Freitas connected from 32 yards to extend the Lancers' lead to seven points, 17-10. The Bucs turned the ball over on downs on their next drive, and Worcester was forced to punt on theirs. Each team punted one more time before the final possession of the game. On that final possession, for the Bucs, Maritime only gained three yard,s and on fourth down, Pierce was sacked by Vogel to turn the ball over on downs. The Lancers bled the final second and left Buzzards Bay with a 17-10 victory. 

What's Next

Maritime will host the 46th Annual Cranberry Bowl, presented by South Coast Improvement, on Saturday, November 15th, at noon against Bridgewater State.