Axemen unable to get offence going in Friday night battle against Huskies

HALIFAX, N.S. — The Acadia Axemen fell 27-5 to the Saint Mary's Huskies on Friday night in a tough road matchup at Huskies Stadium.

Despite an early fumble recovery by the Huskies on Acadia's second offensive snap, the Axemen fought to stay in the game. After Saint Mary's took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, the Axemen's defense responded by holding the Huskies to a second-quarter field goal. Kicker Nick Swain (Moncton, N.B.) put Acadia on the board with a 41-yard field goal, narrowing the deficit to 19-3 at halftime.

The Axemen defense held strong in the second half, with several key stops, including a forced safety early in the third quarter, trimming Saint Mary's lead to 19-5. However, turnovers plagued Acadia's offensive efforts. The Huskies capitalized on five total turnovers, including three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Offensively, Acadia's standout performer was wide receiver Julien Poirier-McKiggan (Halifax, N.S.), who hauled in five catches for 103 yards. Running back Maximus Ramirez (Fort McMurray, Alta.) contributed 60 rushing yards on 13 attempts. Quarterback Riley Naujoks (Winnipeg, Man.) struggled against the Huskies' defense, but reserve quarterback Connor McNamee (Saint John, N.B.) stepped in late in the game, facing heavy pressure from the Saint Mary's defense.

Despite a strong showing from the Axemen's defensive front, Saint Mary's running back Malik Williams (Ajax, Ont.) sealed the game with two rushing touchdowns, including a 31-yard breakout run in the second quarter.

The Axemen, now 2-4 on the season, will look to bounce back when they return home next Friday, Oct. 11, to host the STFX X-Men (2-2) at Raymond Field in Wolfville, N.S. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.