Warriors close out Robert Morris on Homecoming

Merrimack comes back from an early deficit and wins 24-7

In front of a Homecoming crowd of 15,426, the Merrimack College football team rallied from an early deficit to defeat Robert Morris, 24-7, on Saturday at Duane Stadium.

“Our guys played hard,” said head coach Mike Gennetti in a postgame interview with NESN. “We kept getting stops, which was huge.”

The Warriors trailed 7-3 after the first quarter, and the score remained unchanged for most of the second until quarterback Aveon Smith connected with Brendon Wyatt on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 1:53 left in the half. That strike gave Merrimack a lead it would not relinquish, as the defense locked down the Colonials the rest of the way after surrendering a touchdown on the opening drive.

In the fourth quarter, quarterback Ayden Pereira extended the lead with a 5-yard touchdown run, and running back DeMarcus McElroy delivered his best performance in a Merrimack uniform — rushing for 98 yards on just seven carries, including a 63-yard burst that set up his own late touchdown to seal the win.

“Late in the third and early in the fourth, our offense helped us close the game out,” Gennetti said. “That’s what we were looking for, and it’s what we got. Our guys played hard, we stayed in the fight, and I’m proud of them.”

Smith completed 3 of 4 passes for 41 yards and a touchdown, while Pereira finished 5 of 13 for 73 yards and an interception.

The ground game powered Merrimack’s comeback, as the Warriors rushed for 223 yards on 51 carries and scored twice.

Defensively, RJ Chapman led the charge with a critical interception — his third of the season — to snuff out a late Robert Morris drive and help secure the victory. Kamden Wyatt also intercepted a pass, while DJ Frazier and Jacob Wilson each recorded five tackles, with Frazier adding a sack.