Recap vs. Pittsburgh Passion – May 2, 2009

Recap vs. Pittsburgh Passion – May 2, 2009

D.C. Divas Exact Revenge on Pittsburgh With 27-7 Victory
DC 27, Pittsburgh 7
By Neal Rozendaal

Landover, MD – Last season, the D.C. Divas endured their worst year since 2001, losing four regular season games. Two of those four defeats were doled out by the Pittsburgh Passion, the 2007 NWFA national champions who went 8-0 in their first year in the IWFL.

In the Divas’ home opener Saturday, they did their part to get back in the win column against their rivals from Pittsburgh. The offense notched three first-half touchdowns, the defense kept Pittsburgh off of the scoreboard until the final two minutes of the game, and the Divas got a measure of revenge for their two 2008 losses by beating the Passion, 27-7.

The Divas (3-0) scored first on a gutsy call. A long drive stalled in the Pittsburgh red zone, and one minute into the second quarter, D.C. faced fourth-and-goal from the Pittsburgh seven-yard line. The Divas decided to go for it, and the gamble paid off when quarterback Allyson Hamlin found veteran wide receiver Nikki Williams in the end zone for a touchdown.

The Divas added to the lead midway through the second quarter when a rushing touchdown extended the advantage to 13-0. The Pittsburgh Passion (2-1) then were forced to punt the ball back to the Divas with under 1:30 remaining in the first half. The Divas put a dagger in any hopes of a Pittsburgh comeback when LaShawn Foust barreled into the end zone on a four-yard run with seven seconds remaining in the first half.  Foust’s touchdown run gave the hometown team a 19-0 edge at halftime.

The Divas carried the momentum from Foust’s touchdown into the second half. On their opening drive, Hamlin found Shara McNeill for 27 yards on third down to keep the drive alive. Hamlin finished the possession by throwing her second touchdown pass of the game, this time to veteran teammate Donna Wilkinson. Foust ran for the two-point conversion, and the Divas took a 27-0 lead.

The Divas’ defense was outstanding all game. After starting the season with two straight shutouts, the Divas desperately tried to make it three in a row. Divas defensive back Alison Fischer intercepted a pass in the end zone to end a nine-minute Passion drive and keep Pittsburgh scoreless for a time. But the Passion ran for an eight-yard touchdown with 1:54 remaining in the contest to make the final score 27-7.

The 3-0 Divas now enjoy a bye week before traveling to New York to face the always-tough New York Sharks on May 16.