Huskies hold off Axemen in 17-10 win Friday night

(HALIFAX, N.S.) - The Saint Mary's Huskies used 17 second-half points to come from behind and defeat the Acadia Axemen 17-10 Friday night at Huskies Stadium. 

The Huskies survived two late Acadia drives and moved to 3-0 on the season. 

Trailing 17-10 with 3:05 in the fourth quarter, the Axemen started from their on their own 31-yard line when a 59-yard pass play brought Acadia to SMU's 20-yard line. 

Three plays later the Axemen faced a third and goal from the seven-yard line when Saint Mary's intercepted their pass in the end zone and returned it 10 yards to their five-yard line. 

Acadia forced a Saint Mary's punt and took over with 21 seconds left at their 37-yard line. 

A six-yard pass and two 15-yard personal fouls gave the Axemen one last play with no time at the SMU 37-yard line. 

An Acadia incomplete pass ended the game. 

The Axemen scored the only points of the first-half on a three-yard plunge by running back Dale Wright (Markham, Ont.) with 4:30 left in the first quarter.  

DeAndre Smith (Dunn, North Carolina) put the Huskies on the board in the third quarter when he intercepted Acadia quarterback Cody Cluett (Cole Harbour, N.S.) and returned the turnover 69-yards for a SMU touchdown and tied the game 7-7 with 8:24 in the quarter. 

Both teams traded field goals with Acadia's Jarett Saumure (Timberlea, N.S.) kicking a 17-yard field goal with 4:33 left in the third and SMU's Brian Hope (Port Coquitlan, B.C.) nailed a 35-yarder with 14:51 left in the fourth. 

Kaleb Scott (Mount Albert, Ont.) pushed the Huskies ahead 17-10 at the 12:28 mark in the fourth quarter when the SMU quarterback connected with receiver Tristen Giusto (Hamilton, Ont.) on a 38-yard touchdown pass. 

Scott finished with 272 passing yards on 15-33 attempts while Cluettt had 153 yards passing on 11-30 attempts. 

Wright had 146 yards for Acadia on the ground while Scott led Saint Mary's with 97 yards. 

Giusto finished with two receptions for 51 yards for SMU while teammates Josh Henry (Pickering, Ont.) caught three passes for 53 yards and Brandon Ihanza (Toronto, Ont.) had four catches for 80 yards. 

Axemen receiver Cordell Hastings (Calgary, Alta) had 87 yards on four catches and Caleb Ryder (Moncton, N.B.) finished with two grabs and 27 yards. 

Acadia drops to 2-2 and has a bye in Week 5 while Saint Mary's travels to 1-1 Mount Allison Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. AST. 

Source: Dominic Nolasco for Saint Mary's Athletics Communications