MARIETTA, Ga. – The Ottawa University women’s flag football team opened the NAIA Flag Football Finals with two victories in pool play, defeating Campbellsville University, 47-0, in game one and St. Thomas University, 20-6. The two wins put the Braves in the semifinals of Bracket A.
Campbellsville
Ottawa received the ball to open the game, finding the end zone in seven plays. Madysen Carrera threw a one yard touchdown pass to Jazlyn Camacho. The extra point attempt was good and OU had a 7-0 lead.
The OU defense forced a punt and Ottawa took over on its own 19 yards line. Two plays later the Braves extended their lead. Carrera threw a 29 yard touchdown pass to Marley Spielberg and after the extra point, the Braves led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The Ottawa defense forced another Tiger punt and took over its own 30 yard line. OU put together another scoring drive to increase its lead. On the second play of the drive, Carrera threw a 45 yard touchdown pass to Jaida Bayron. The extra point was good and the Braves had a 21-0 lead.
The Braves forced a third straight CU punt and took over on the Tiger 30 yard line in the final minutes of the second quarter. This drive took four plays and ended the same way as the previous three scoring drives, in the end zone. Carrera threw a seven yard touchdown pass to Spielberg and the Braves took a 27-0 lead into the locker room.
Campbellsville received the ball to start the second half but did not have it for long as the the OU defense forced the turnover. Teliyah McInnis intercepted the ball and the Braves took over on the CU 28 yard line.
Ottawa took advantage of the excellent field position and extended their lead. Carrera threw completed the four yard touchdown pass to Camacho. The extra point was good and the Braves had a 34-0 lead.
The OU defense forced a fourth CU punt and the Braves took over on the CU 33 yard line. Five plays and 41 yards later Ottawa was in the end zone. Carrera found Spielberg, for the third time in the game, for the two yard touchdown pass. The extra point was good and the Braves led 41-0.
Ottawa’s defense forced another CU punt and the OU offense took over, for the final time in the game. The Braves put together a six play, 49 yard scoring drive that ended with a touchdown pass from Carrera to Tatiana Dos Santos and OU took the 47-0 victory.
Inside the Box Score
- Ottawa finished the game with 308 yards of offense, 265 yards passing and 43 yards rushing.
- OU’s defense held CU to 69 yards passing and -17 yard rushing for a total of 52 yards of offense.
- Madysen Carrera was 23-for-26 through the air for 265 yards and seven touchdowns.
- Jazlyn Camacho had six receptions for 41 yards and two touchdowns.
- Marley Spielberg and Alyssa Linkous had four receptions apiece. Speilberg had 53 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions. Linkous had 52 receiving yards.
- Jukanie Washington had six flag pulls and one pass breakup.
- Cynthia Homs and Dejonice Parris had four flag pulls apiece. Parris had two sacks, three flag pulls for loss and one pass break up.
St. Thomas University
Ottawa broke the scoreless tie on its first offensive possession of the second quarter. The Braves put together a six play, 38 yard drive that ended with a one yard touchdown pass from Madysen Carrera to Alyssa Linkous. The Carrera extra point was good and OU led 7-0 in the second quarter.
The OU defense held the Bobcats to a punt in the final minutes of the second quarter and the Braves took a 7-0 lead into the locker room.
The Braves received the ball to start the second half. Ottawa put together an eight play, 66 yard scoring drive. Carrera ended the drive with a 14 yard touchdown pass from Carrera to Jazlyn Camacho. The extra point was good and OU led 14-0 in the third quarter.
On St. Thomas’ first drive of the second half, the Bobcats moved the ball into OU territory and had it fourth and six from the Brave 26 yard line. Ottawa’s defense forced a turnover on downs and OU took over with less than a minute to go in the third quarter.
Ottawa increased its lead, scoring on its second straight offensive possession in the second half. On the sixth play of the scoring drive, Carrera threw an 11 yard touchdown pass to Marley Spielberg and OU led 20-0.
The Bobcats were able to get on the scoreboard in the final minutes of the fourth. STU scored, putting together a 12 play, 66 yard drive to cut into OU’s lead 20-6.
Ottawa ran out the clock on its final drive, taking a 20-6 victory.
Inside the Box Score
- Ottawa had 220 yards through the air and 10 yards rushing for 234 yards of offense.
- St. Thomas had 136 yards of offense, 122 yards through the air and 14 yards rushing.
- Madysen Carrera was 25-for-35 through the air for 220 yards and three touchdowns.
- Jazlyn Camacho and Alyssa Linkous had seven receptions apiece. Camacho finished the game with 81 receiving yards and one touchdown. Linkous had 57 receiving yards and a touchdown.
- Cynthia Homs and Jukanie Washington had six flag pulls apiece. Homs had a pass breakup.
- Teliyah McInnish led OU with three pass break ups.
- Susann Kaufmann finished with one sack.
Who is Next
Ottawa (15-4) will now compete in the NAIA Flag Football Tournament semifinals. The Braves will play the winner of the Warner University/Webber International University quarterfinal game on Friday, May 10. The semifinal game will take place at 9:00 a.m. (est)/8:00 a.m. (cst) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.