It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes as KWU faced the Ottawa University Braves on Saturday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Coyotes battled to the end with the Braves, but came up short in a 34-14 decision.
Ottawa scored on its first two possessions of the game, capitalizing on a 46-yard pass play from Madison Carrera to Bailey Hodgins, to set up the first score on a 2-yard Carrera run with 8:51 left in the first.
The Braves made it 14-0 scoring with 2:18 left in the first.
Another scoring drive by Ottawa in the second quarter pushed Ottawa's lead out to 21-0.
Back came the Coyotes on the ensuing drive.
Brianna Hernandez-Silva (SR/Las Vegas, Nev.) found Angel Roman (SO/Jacksonville, Fla.) for a first down to get the drive going, and a 10-yard Hernandez-Silva run and a 19-yard pass to Angel Almaraz (FR/Las Vegas, Nev.) got the Coyotes to the Ottawa 28. An Ottawa penalty for roughing the passer kept Wesleyan's drive going and two plays later Hernandez-Silva found Kendra Velasquez-Munro (SO/Las Vegas, Nev.) for a 2-yard touchdown to make it 21-7.
Ottawa got a score on a long pass play with two minutes to go before the half.
Wesleyan opened the second half with the ball and Hernandez-Silva capped the drive hitting Ja'Daa Wilson (JR/Crawfordville, Fla.) on a 47-yard catch and run down the sideline for the touchdown making it 28-14 with 8:25 left in the third.
Both defenses then stepped up their games, as the Coyotes stopped Ottawa at the KWU-10 with a sack, and in the fourth quarter Nickayla Howard (SO/Las Vegas, Nev.) picked off a Carrera pass to stop another Ottawa drive at the KWU-9, making the interception in the end zone for a touchback.
Ottawa did not score again until what ended up being the final play of the game making it 34-14 with 1:58 left.
Hernandez-Silva was 12 of 24 passing for 137 yards and two scores. She added seven rushes for 44 yards. Velasquez-Munro had five receptions for 34 yards. Wilson and Alexa Mansur (SO/Henderson, Nev.) led the Coyotes with six flag pulls each.
The season does not end for the Coyotes here. Up next is the NAIA Flag Football Finals, May 18-20 in Atlanta, Ga., at Mercedes Benz Stadium.