Box Score It was no secret that the McMaster Marauder football team would lean on their defence early in the OUA season, so it was no surprise when that group powered Mac to an important 23-9 road win over Carleton Sunday in the team's OUA season opener.
The Marauders forced six Ravens turnovers in the win, including four fumbles and two interceptions, one of which Robbie Yochim successfully returned for a touchdown.
Suffocating Carleton's offence throughout the game, the McMaster defence conceded only three points in the win.
A pair of McMaster rookies enjoyed milestones Sunday, as quarterback Andre Dueck's first quarter touchdown pass to Tommy Nield marked the first major in both players' Marauders careers.
Early signs from the Mac defence were promising, as it forced a fumble early, with defensive back Mitch Garland scooping it up and returning it all the way to the Ravens 3-yard line. On the ensuing series, Dueck made the Ravens pay, finding Nield for the five-yard touchdown.
The teams swapped safeties to complete the scoring in the quarter, and give the Marauders a 9-2 lead after the first.
In the second quarter, Carleton added a field goal before McMaster scored on its best drive of the night, when a long run by Jordan Lyons saw him stripped of the pigskin on his way to the end zone, and Mitch O'Connor corralled the loose ball for the Mac touchdown.
McMaster's defence then took over for the remainder of the quarter, sacking Ravens quarterback Mike Arruda in the endzone for a safety, before Yochim picked off an Arruda toss and returned it for a touchdown just before the half. The score at halftime saw the McMaster advantage at 23-7.
Second half action saw both teams struggle to find any offensive flow, and numerous penalties killed promising drives on both sides. The Marauders conceded a third safety in the third quarter, while the final stanza was scoreless.
The Marauders will now prepare for their home opener on Saturday, September 9th, when they host the Western Mustangs. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at Ron Joyce Stadium.
