Online only: Defending champs rebound from Week 1 loss
For the second straight weekend, the slate of powderpuff games was decimated by weather conditions and game cancellations, leaving just two games played. The more appealing match-up was the game between Will Rice College and Duncan College, two teams on opposite ends of Week 1 upsets. Duncan, in their first season as an independent powderpuff squad, defeated Jones College in overtime in the season's inaugural game, while the defending champions from Will Rice allowed 34 points in a loss to Lovett College. The Thresher's Game of the Week lived up to expectations on Sunday afternoon, needing overtime to separate the two teams for the second straight week. Will Rice bounced back from their season-opening loss, taking a 21-14 game from Duncan to even their record at 1-1 on the year.Game of the Week
After a scoreless first quarter, Will Rice senior quarterback Jessi Scully found senior running back Alex Espinoza through the air for the game's first touchdown, giving the defending champions a 7-0 lead going into the halftime break.
Duncan would even the score on their first drive of the second half, with senior quarterback Valicia Miller throwing to the endzone for the team's first score of the game.
Will Rice soon regained the lead, however, taking advantage of a number of Duncan penalties and displaying one of the league's elite passing attacks with a 35-yard touchdown strike from Scully to Espinoza. The connection that proved potent, if not lethal, last season again proved its mettle on Sunday, connecting for the second time in the game to give the Pain Train the 14-7 advantage.
To counter with a display of resilience, Duncan drove the length of the field in the final few minutes, led by Miller, and evened up the score with yet another passing touchdown, the fourth of the game between the two teams. After a successful extra point conversion, it appeared that we were headed for our second straight overtime Game of the Week.
But, in an effort reminiscent of their championship game performance last season against Martel College, the Will Rice offense took over with under a minute left and drove the distance of the field, coming within yards of the end zone. The Duncan defense was against the ropes, with the game and a potential 2-0 start on the line, but stood up to the task, keeping Will Rice out of the end zone in the final few seconds to force the game into overtime.
Once again, the upstart Duncan squad found themselves locked in an overtime game against a strong favorite, looking to pull off the upset once again at the hands of Will Rice.
Will Rice took over on offense to start overtime and picked up right where they left off, moving the ball with ease and threatening to take the lead. Scully would score her third touchdown of the game, this time on the ground, taking a quarterback option run to draw first blood and put the pressure on Duncan's offense. After the extra point, Will Rice was up 21-14, one defensive stand away from earning its first win of the early season.
The Duncan offense, impressive in spurts during regulation, could not move the ball on early downs and were forced into a fourth-and-long with the game on the line. Miller went to the air, but had her pass knocked down to preserve a Will Rice victory and drop Duncan to 1-1 on the year.
The schedule will do no favors to the Duncan powderpuff team, as they will play Martel this weekend, last year's runner-up. Will Rice will take on Hanszen College tomorrow afternoon as Will Rice looks to improve to 2-1 on the young season.
GSA 13, Lovett 7
The Graduate Student Association capitalized on three interceptions to eke out a close victory over Lovett, who got on the board first to make the score 7-0 at the half. In the third quarter, the GSA scored a touchdown but failed to convert the extra point attempt, leaving the score 7-6 with Lovett in the lead. However, the GSA was able to capitalize on a botched Lovett pitch with just over a minute left as GSA defensive corner Jami Tullius ran it back for a touchdown. After converting the extra point to make the score 13-7, the GSA's defense forced a turnover on downs with 30 seconds left to seal the victory. GSA will take on Jones College, while Lovett will look to get their second win against Wiess College.
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