The Black Bears began their Colonial Athletic Association title chase Saturday night with a 10-6 home victory against Norfolk State.
Linebacker Christian Mulumba Tsimanga, the 2013 CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year, led UMaine in a game-long defensive struggle by recording a game-high 14 tackles. The Black Bears defense, nicknamed the ‘Black Hole,” allowed just 100 total yards of offense in the contest.
“When we got our back against the wall, we had to just keep playing,” Tsimanga said. “We watched a lot of film so we were ready for them. We knew they were running the ball. The first thing we do in the ‘Black Hole’ is stop the run.”
Norfolk State sophomore kicker Cameron Marouf split the uprights on the first two Spartans possessions for field goals of 46 and 28 yards for a 6-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
UMaine sophomore Dan Collins made his first collegiate start and was shaky in the first quarter but began to find a rhythm in the second, leading the Black Bears on an 81-yard drive that culminated in a 33-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Damarr Aultmann.
Collins showed arm strength on the touchdown pass to Aultmann, and mobility by breaking off a 20-yard run in the third quarter and finishing with 25-yard rushing and 92-yards passing.
“Danny won his first college football game and that’s what the goal was,” said UMaine head coach Jack Cosgrove. “I thought he got better as the game went on.”
UMaine extended their lead after halftime when junior defensive end Trevor Bates tipped and made a diving interception on a pass from Spartans junior quarterback Malik Stokes that led to a 27-yard field goal and 10-6 Black Bear advantage.
“I just looked up and found it at the last minute so I dove on it,” Bates said. “It was pretty close.”
The Black Bears defense lost junior cornerback Sherrod Baltimore and junior defensive end Mike Kozlakowski to injuries but did not stumble, allowing just four first downs in the final three quarters. The Spartans had several opportunities to score late in the game, namely the last drive that went all the way to the UMaine 11-yard line, but failed to convert.
UMaine struggled offensively against a stout Norfolk State defense that featured 6’7” senior linebacker Lynden Trail. Trail, the preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, recorded eight tackles with two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and 1.5 sacks. Junior linebacker Lamar Neal led the Spartans with 10 tackles.
The Black Bears have a week off before traveling to take on Bryant University on Sept. 13for their first road contest of the year. The Spartans return home to host Liberty University on Sept. 6 at 4 p.m.