WALESKA, Ga. - The (1) Ottawa University women's flag football team dug deep Thursday morning and delivered a dramatic 32–28 comeback victory over (2) Keiser University.
After trailing by as much as 16 in the third quarter, Ottawa flipped the script with grit on defense and clutch playmaking from quarterback
Anna Anderson, who accounted for five total touchdowns in the comeback effort.
How It Happened
First Quarter
Keiser struck first on a 66-yard opening drive to take a 7–0 lead. Ottawa responded quickly, as
Anna Anderson engineered a six-play, 52-yard march capped by a touchdown pass to
Alyssa Linkous to cut it to 7–6 after the conversion failed.
Keiser added another touchdown before the end of the quarter to lead 15–6.
Second Quarter
Ottawa stayed within striking distance when Anderson connected with
Marley Spielberg on a 40-yard touchdown strike to make it 15–12.
Keiser answered again late in the half, taking a 22–12 lead into the break.
Third Quarter
Keiser extended the lead to 28–12 midway through the third, but that's when momentum shifted.
Anderson led a poised seven-play, 66-yard drive, finishing it herself with a 5-yard touchdown run and a successful two-point conversion pass. Suddenly it was 28–20 heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
Ottawa's defense tightened, forcing a punt and later coming up with the game-changing play — an interception by
Jukanie Washington with under two minutes to play.
Given the short field, Anderson went to work.
She converted a critical fourth-and-one with her legs, then calmly marched the Braves inside the 5-yard line. With 10 seconds remaining, she fired a 4-yard touchdown pass to
Olga Sotillo for the go-ahead score.
Keiser's final desperation attempt fell incomplete as time expired.
Ottawa Statistical Standouts
- Anna Anderson: 19-of-30 passing, 231 yards, 3 TD
- Anderson (rushing): 12 carries, 74 yards, 2 TD
- Marley Spielberg: 6 receptions, 84 yards, 2 TD
- Alyssa Linkous: 7 receptions, 62 yards
- Olga Sotillo: 3 receptions, 35 yards, GW touchdown
- Jukanie Washington: 8 flag pulls, 1 interception (6-yard return)
- Dejonice Parris: 7 flag pulls
- Ottawa offense: 326 total yards
- Ottawa defense: 31 total flag pulls, 1 interception
Who is Next
Ottawa (1-0) returns to the field on Friday, February 27 in Waleska, Ga. against NCAA Division II Wingate University. The game is scheduled to being at 11:00 a.m.