Recap vs. New York Sharks – April 28, 2012

D.C. Divas Win Over the New York Sharks, 41-12
DC 41, New York 12
By Rich Daniel

Recap • Statistics

Landover, MD – On a night filled by cool rain showers, the D.C. Divas ground attack once again showed their prowess, driving the Divas to a 41-12 victory over the New York Sharks.

Kenyetta Grigsby had another stellar night with three of her four touchdowns coming in the first quarter. She gave the Divas (1-1) their first lead at 7-0 with a 21-yard touchdown run.

The Divas defense stepped up when Cherre Marshall recovered a Sharks fumble on the next drive. Her recovery set up Grigsby’s second touchdown. Grigsby took it 14 yards into the end zone facing FedEx Field, where the Redskins were hosting their draft day party for RGIII in front of 19,000 fans.

The Divas led, 14-0, but the Sharks (1-2) came right back with a 75-yard touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff. That made the score 14-6 after a missed extra point. The Divas answered with a six-play, 62-yard drive, and a Grigsby 24-yard touchdown run made it 21-6 at the end of the first quarter.

The offensive line and the running backs combined for 226 yards on the night, and in the second quarter, the Divas’ passing game came to life as well. Allyson Hamlin threw a 33-yard touchdown to Ashley Whisonant that gave the Divas a 28-6 lead at halftime.

The Sharks responded in the third quarter with a seven-play, 73-yard drive, capped by a 13-yard scoring pass from Karen Mulligan to wide receiver Lauren Pringle. Mulligan’s touchdown toss made the score 28-12. The Divas answered back with their own seven-play drive to end the third quarter and begin the fourth. It ended with Kenyetta Grigsby’s fourth touchdown of the night; the extra point failed, giving the Divas a 34-12 lead.

Grigsby’s fourth touchdown of the game capped a 17-carry, 179-yard performance by the league’s second-leading rusher in 2011. Ashley Whisonant had two catches for 92 yards on the evening, and both were for touchdowns. Her second score came from a 59-yard pass from Allyson Hamlin, which made the final score 41-12.

The Divas are now 1-1 on the year and will host the Columbus Comets on May 5 at 6 PM.

← Previous Game Next Game →