Recap vs. Boston Militia – April 12, 2008
Divas Lose First Regular Season Game in Five Years, 27-22
Boston 27, DC 22
By Neal Rozendaal
Boston, MA – The D.C. Divas have compiled four consecutive perfect 8-0 records in the regular season from 2004-2007. But the Divas won’t repeat that feat this season.
In their first ever game, the Boston Militia made an impressive debut in women’s football, jumping out to a 14-0 lead and hanging on for a 27-22 victory over the D.C. Divas. The loss snaps a 32-game regular season winning streak for the Divas that dated back to 2003, when the Divas lost their regular season finale to the Baltimore Burn, 22-14.
The Boston Militia aren’t your typical expansion team. The franchise was formed this season from a merger of the NWFA’s Massachusetts Mutiny and the IWFL’s Boston Rampage (formerly known as the Bay State Warriors). The Militia are filled with veteran players who formerly played for those two franchises, and their experience showed Saturday.
The Militia (1-0) jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead thanks for the running and passing of Boston quarterback Allison Cahill. Cahill opened the scoring with a 25-yard touchdown run that put the Militia on top, 7-0. The lead widened to 14-0 on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Cahill to running back Mia Brickhouse.
The Divas (0-1) bounced back with a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Allyson Hamlin to wide receiver Nikki Williams. Rachelle Pecovsky rushed for a two-point conversion to cut the deficit to 14-8.
Cahill threw her second touchdown pass of the game, extending Boston’s lead back out to 20-8. Divas fullback Tiffany Matthews responded with a rushing touchdown, but the extra point kick attempt by Shara McNeill was blocked, making the score 20-14.
The back-and-forth scoring continued when Cahill scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown. The extra point kick put Boston ahead, 27-14.
The Divas weren’t finished, however. Late in the contest, Matthews scored on a two-yard rushing touchdown and added the two-point conversion, and the Divas had sliced the margin to 27-22 with 3:04 remaining in the game.
The Divas’ defense held strong and forced a Militia punt, which gave the offense one final chance to win the game. But a Hamlin interception ended the game, and the Divas’ impressive regular season winning streak had come to an end.
The Militia had some fun with the victory, emblazoning their website with the headline, “Upset of the Century!” over a redone World War II propaganda poster, complete with a tattooed Rosie the Riveter. The Divas will try to regroup with a bye week before hosting the Baltimore Nighthawks in the Divas’ home opener on April 26.
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