12/07/07

Tensions were high and the claws came out as the Soulja Girls took on the Orange Crush under the lights at Liston Stadium during the powder puff football game Monday night.

The Soulja Girls, a team consisting of sophomore and junior women, came out on top as it shut out the freshman and senior team with a final score of 13-0.

The teams came out fighting hard, and strong defense on both ends left the women scoreless as they went into the second half. Dominant defense from the sophomores and juniors held the Orange Crush behind the 50-yard line throughout the game.

Senior Saxony Ortiz said the teams were an equal match, and defense was the focus during the game.

“It was good. I think that we were both evenly prepared,” Ortiz said. “Nobody really gained any yards or lost any yards either way except for the few mistakes that caused the freshmen and seniors to lose.”

Those few mistakes on defense paved the way for junior April Kruse to have a near flawless performance at the quarterback spot. Kruse threw two touchdown passes in the second half and finished the game with only one intercepted pass.

A touchdown pass from Kruse to junior Nicole Baumgartner put the first points of the game on the scoreboard. Sophomore Kristen Steppe followed with a successful kick for the extra point.

Barnard Pierre, a coach for the sophomore and junior team, said Baumgartner was a vital player as her defense and offense kept the team on top.

“(Baumgartner) had two interceptions on defense,” Pierre said. “She pulled the flag a lot. She was flying around on defense, and she had a touchdown on offense.”

Kruse’s second touchdown play came with help from sophomore Brittany Bissonnette, who was able to spot her defense lagging.

“The play wasn’t meant for me, but I noticed that the defense wasn’t staying on me so before April hiked it I yelled at her,” Bissonnette said. “We just looked at each other, and I sprinted down field. I was wide open, she saw me, and I scored the touchdown.”

Sophomore Taylor Glessner said Kruse’s ability to make big plays and stay calm under pressure was critical for the team’s win.

“I think she made some really good decisions in the backfield, even when they were putting a lot of pressure on her,” Glessner said. “She didn’t let herself get sacked and made some really good decisions to our wide receivers and handing off the ball.”

While several individuals had standout performances, Bissonnette said the sophomore and junior team was successful because of the strength of each player.

“There were individual stars, but without the team we wouldn’t have been able to play good defense or get those runs on offense, so I think the whole team did good,” she said.

While both teams came together just a few weeks before the game was played, Pierre said playing as a team was what helped the Soulja Girls finish on top.

“What they did well was playing together,” he said. “Even when we would give the ball up, we would come back on defense and just want the ball. They were competitive. They would not be down when they lost the ball.”

Both teams fought hard and Pierre said the energy on the field was unbeatable.

“The game went great,” he said. “Both teams were competitive, and it was fun to watch. The cohesiveness was great.”