JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- The Ave Maria football team gave NCAA Division I Jacksonville all they could handle on Saturday afternoon. After finding themselves in a 14-0 hole early, AMU came back and pulled within three early in the fourth quarter. A field goal and interception return for a touchdown sealed the win for JU.
Jacksonville opened the game with a 69-yard touchdown pass from BJ Riley to Mitchell Bailey on their second play of the game to take a 7-0 lead. Another big play, a 57-yard rush by Calvin Turner, on their second drive put AMU in an early 14-0 deficit.
The Gyrenes settled in on their second possession and capped a six-play, 73-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown pass from Will Tate to Christian Przybysz. A successful point after by Derek McCormick made it 14-7 Jacksonville.
A Jacksonville field goal made it 17-7 at the end of the first quarter AMU pulled within three, 17-14, on a Nicholas Conroy 33-yard touchdown reception from Tate less than a minute into the second quarter.
Two straight scores by JU put the Dolphins in front 31-14. Tate found the endzone on a one-yard TD run just before the half, to bring the Gyrenes within 10, 31-21.
After a scoreless third quarter, Quino Mauricette scored on a five-yard run with 13:31 to play in the fourth to make it 31-28 in favor of Jacksonville.
On their next drive, Jacksonville drove 57-yards and kicked a made a 25-yard field goal to extend their lead to six.
On the ensuing possession for Ave Maria, quarterback Kristian Marks had his pass intercepted and returned for a touchdown. A successful two-point conversion made it 42-28. AMU had their next two drives end in Jacksonville territory on downs as AMU tried to cut into the JU lead.
The Gyrenes finished with 386 yards of total offense, 123 rushing and 263 through the air. AMU lost the turnover battle, 2-0.
Tate finished 12-of-21 for 192 yards and two scores in the air and with eight rushes for 33 yards and a score on the ground. Marks threw for 71 yards.
Making his first appearance since last season, Quino Maricette had 46 yards rushing on 12 carries and a touchdown.
Kevon O'Connor led AMU with five receptions for a team-high 107 yards.
Defensively, Kobi Bowers and Jordan Barrow each had a team-best eight tackles.
Ave Maria opens Mid-South Sun Division play next weekend when they travel to 17th-ranked Southeastern. The game will kick-off at 7 p.m. in Lakeland, Fla.
