A late goal line stand to earned Plymouth State University its first victory of the season, defeating Maine Maritime Academy, 13-7, in New England Football Conference play at Ritchie Field in Castine, Maine.

Mariners fullback Billy Wetherbee attempted to punch it in on fourth and goal from the one with seconds left on the clock but was stopped by the Panthers’ line.

With 55 seconds left, Ryan O’Neal, who rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown in the game, appeared to score the game-tying points when he got through the line, but a Mariner penalty took the points off the board and brought the ball back to the six.

PSU graduate student Dustin Matthews started the day’s scoring with a one-yard plunge to cap an 11-play, 71-yard drive on the Panthers’ first possession. The fullback finished the day with 50 yards on nine attempts.

The Mariners answered with O’Neal, cashing in on a Plymouth (1-2) fumble in the second that gave Maine Maritime possession on the Panthers’ 35. O’Neal crossed the goal line on his second 12-yard run of the drive.

Panthers senior Andrew Foglia, who rushed for 98 yards on the day, broke through the left side of the Mariners’ defense for a 21-yard scamper to give his team the 13-7 lead late in the second quarter.

The Mariners (0-2) piled up 321 yards of offense to Plymouth’s 258, and recorded 17 first downs to the Panthers’ dozen, but Plymouth’s defense answered the bell at every ring.

PSU senior defensive back Ray Boulay of Keene posted 11 tackles, including nine solo stops to go with an interception and a pass breakup.

Plymouth State heads to UMass-Dartmouth next Saturday to start its Boyd Division slate. That game is at 4 p.m.