FINAL SCORE
Monmouth 51 (1-2, 1-0 CAA)
Maine 22 (1-2, 0-1 CAA)

ORONO, Maine — Derek Robertson threw for 390 yards and four touchdowns, leading Monmouth to a commanding 51-22 victory over Maine in their CAA opener on Saturday at Alfond Stadium.

Monmouth (1-2, 1-0 CAA) wasted no time getting on the board, scoring three first quarter touchdowns. Running back Sone Ntoh capped off a 75-yard opening drive with a 4-yard touchdown plunge. Robertson then threw two quick touchdown passes to his tight ends; an 11-yard strike to Jack Neri and a 25-yard connection to Marcus Middleton giving Monmouth a 20-0 lead.
Maine (1-2, 0-1 CAA) responded with a 98-yard kickoff return by Trevin Ewing, cutting the lead to 20-8. Monmouth had an answer with Ntoh adding a 2-yard touchdown run to push the Hawks' lead to 27-8 at halftime.

Robertson's connection with Josh Derry was a key factor throughout the game. Derry finished with seven catches for 227 yards and two touchdowns. His 56-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter extended Monmouth's lead to 34-8. Derry then sealed the win with a program-record 94-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter.

Monmouth's balanced attack also included a strong day on the ground, with Rodney Nelson rushing for 91 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The Hawks compiled 242 rushing yards, averaging 6.2 yards per carry.

On defense, Monmouth's pressure disrupted Maine's offense throughout the game, holding them to 286 total yards. Justin Bennin led the Hawks with seven tackles and a fumble recovery, while Ryan Alexander recorded a key sack that stalled a Black Bears drive. Monmouth's defense forced two turnovers, capitalizing on Maine's mistakes.

For Maine, quarterback Carter Peevy completed 16 of 26 passes for 159 yards, but the Black Bears struggled to sustain drives, managing only two offensive touchdowns. Peevy's 30-yard scramble to the Monmouth 1-yard line set up a third-quarter touchdown run by Jaharie Martin. Joe Gillette added a 2-yard rushing score early in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough to keep pace with Monmouth's high-powered offense.

Monmouth converted 11 of 15 third downs and outgained Maine, 632-286. On defense, the Hawks limited Maine's third-down efficiency, holding the Black Bears to just 3-of-10 on third-down conversions.

Kicker Michael Calton Jr. added a 42-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to cap off the scoring for Monmouth. 

NOTES AND QUOTES
"We're excited about the win and very happy with it. Having started out 0-2, this was an important game for us and it was important to get one in the win column. We knew we would have to play almost a perfect game in order to do that. I was very happy with the way we played offensively, we were able to move the ball down the field and combine that with some explosive plays, and then on the defensive side, particularly in the first half, we did a really good job getting off the field and giving the ball back to our offense. Any time you play complementary football like that, you have a really good chance of being successful."
Head Coach Kevin Callahan

"Our big emphasis on the offensive line is communication. That's our pillar, that's what we are taught by Coach Brian Gabriel. We communicate from o-line to tight ends to quarterback like we talk before, during and after each play as much as we can and we just keep the communication going as we block and as we move around. As long as we keep talking and we keep communicating with each other, we can play our game and we can have games like this."
Offensive lineman Ed Gatling

"First I just want to say I have a ton of respect for Maine football and the University of Maine and I enjoyed my time here. But, yes the familiarity definitely helped. I practiced against them for almost four years, a similar defensive scheme and I know some of the players. Ultimately, it really comes down to these other guys on our team, they are the ones making the plays, they are the ones blocking for me, so it's not really me, it's these guys you should be talking to."
Quarterback Derek Robertson

The Hawks have started CAA play with a win in back-to-back seasons.
Monmouth earned its first-ever victory against Maine (1-4). 
The win snapped a five-game road losing streak for the Hawks.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
Josh Derry's 227 yards receiving were a new career high and the fourth-most in a single game in Monmouth history.
Derry also set the program record with his 94-yard touchdown reception, eclipsing Zach Tredway's previous record 92-yard TD catch against Kennesaw State on Nov. 2, 2019. 
Derek Robertson's 390 passing yards are tied for sixth in a single game in Monmouth history.
Monmouth's last three victories have come in 50-point performances and the Hawks have scored 42 or more points in their last five wins. 
Rodney Nelson's 91 yards are a new career-high and the most for a Monmouth back this season. 
Makhi Green also set a career high with 73 yards on the ground.
Sone Ntoh has four rushing touchdowns on the season and 18 rushing scores in 14 career games.
Ryan Alexander registered his first-career sack.
Justin Bennin led Monmouth with a career-high seven tackles.

UP NEXT 
Monmouth will travel to Miami for an FBS matchup against FIU. Opening kickoff from Pitbull Stadium is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.