Football Earns Gritty CAA Road Win at Maine

Saturday, October 3

Orono, ME

3:30 PM

Sacred Heart

2-3 , 2-2

University of Maine

1-5 , 1-2

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Sacred Heart	0	14	7	3	24
Maine	6	3	0	7	16

Photo by: Reese D'Alessandro

Football Earns Gritty CAA Road Win at Maine

10/3/2026 7:43:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Pioneers erase 9-0 deficit, score 21 unanswered to take down the Black Bears

By: Samantha Carey

ORONO, Me. – The Sacred Heart University football team erased an early deficit and delivered a gritty performance on the road Saturday afternoon, rallying from down nine points to defeat Maine, 24-16, in a CAA Football showdown at Morse Field at Harry Alfond Stadium.

The Pioneers trailed 9-0 early, then scored 21 unanswered points across the second and third quarters to take control of the game. Sacred Heart's defense held Maine scoreless in the third quarter before the Pioneers answered a late Black Bear touchdown with a Ryan Bocklet field goal to secure the road win.

Quarterback Poochie Snyder led the way for the Pioneers, completing 21-of-27 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 73 yards on the ground. Jason Palmieri hauled in six passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, while Dean Hangey added seven receptions for 58 yards and a rushing touchdown.

Defensively, Myles Hamilton, Kymari Latney, and Luke Hackett each recorded seven tackles, with Hamilton adding two sacks and 3.5 tackles for a loss of eight yards. Kenny Selby finished with a team-leading three pass breakups as the Pioneers held Maine to 259 total yards and just 13 first downs.

Final Score:
Sacred Heart 24
Maine 16

Records:
Sacred Heart (2-3, 2-2 CAA)
Maine (1-5, 1-2 CAA)

Top Performers:
Offense –
Poochie Snyder: Passing (21-27, 207 yards, 2 TD) | Rushing (15 attempts, 73 yards)
Jason Palmieri: 6 receptions | 73 yards | 1 TD
Dean Hangey: Receiving (7 receptions, 58 yards) | Rushing (1 attempt, 3 yards, 1 TD)

Defense –
Myles Hamilton: 7 tackles | 2.0 sacks | 3.5-8 TFL/Yds
Kymari Latney: 7 tackles | 0.5 TFL
Luke Hackett: 7 tackles | 0.5-1 TFL/Yds
Kenny Selby: 3 tackles | 3 pass breakups

How it Happened:
Maine jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the opening quarter, connecting three field goals before the Pioneers answered late in the second.

Sacred Heart finally broke through with 6:05 remaining in the half, as Hangey powered into the end zone from three yards out to cap a 79-yard drive to the deficit to 9-7.

The Pioneers then grabbed their first lead of the afternoon just before halftime. Snyder connected with Palmieri for an 11-yard touchdown with 19 seconds remaining, completing an 81-yard scoring drive and sending the visitors into the locker room with a 14-9 advantage.

After forcing Maine into a three-and-out to open the second half, SHU marched 75 yards on a 12-play drive that lasted more than six minutes. Snyder found Brendan Errity for a six-yard touchdown, giving Sacred Heart a 21-9 lead with 8:33 remaining in the third. The touchdown marked Errity's first career touchdown.

The Pioneers' defense continued to set the tone, holding Maine scoreless throughout the third quarter while Sacred Heart controlled possession and the line of scrimmage.

Maine cut the deficit to 21-16 early in the fourth quarter, but SHU answered with a critical scoring drive. The Pioneers moved 38 yards on eight plays before Bocklet drilled a 40-yard field goal with 6:48 remaining in regulation.

Sacred Heart's defense then closed the door, making key stops on Maine's final possessions to secure the Pioneers' second CAA victory of the season.

Up Next:
Sacred Heart returns home on Saturday, Oct. 10, hosting Stonehill in a non-conference clash at Sikorsky Credit Union Field. Kickoff is set for 12:00 PM.