Herd scores late to get by UTEP, 16-12
Published 12:52 am Sunday, October 31, 2010
The Associated Press
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Tron Martinez gained a career-high 116 yards and scored on a 1-yard plunge with 1:47 remaining to give Marshall a 16-12 victory over UTEP on Saturday.
Martinez’s score, the first of his career, was set up by a personal foul penalty on the Miners. The Thundering Herd (2-6, 1-3 Conference USA) appeared to tie the score at 12 on Tyler Warner’s 19-yard field goal with just under 2 minutes to play. But Warner was knocked over on the attempt, and Marshall got the ball back. Martinez scored on the next play.
UTEP (5-4, 2-4) led 12-7 after Kris Adams caught a 23-yard TD pass from Trevor Vittatoe. The Miners opted to go for the two-point conversion, but the play backfired. Donald Brown intercepted Vittatoe’s pass and returned it 100 yards for a two-point PAT return, making the score 12-9 with 5:25 left.
The Thundering Herd then marched 56 yards in 10 plays to take the lead.
Quarterback Brian Anderson finished 13-of-26 through the air for 138 yards and one touchdown as Marshall improved to 57-44-8 all-time in Homecoming games and has won 17 of the last 20. Aaron Dobson hauled in four catches for 60 yards and a score.