Box Score OSHKOSH, Wis.- Kyana Williams (Oshkosh/Oshkosh West) scored the first touchdown in UW-Oshkosh women's flag football on Thursday (April 2) during the Titans' 14-6 loss to Rockford University (Ill.) under the UW-Oshkosh Rec Plex Dome.
Williams capped off Oshkosh's first scoring drive with a 1-yard reception from quarterback
Marin Bell (Oshkosh/Oshkosh West) with 30 seconds left in the game
Oshkosh's (0-4) defense held the Regents (3-1) to a touchdown in each half for a season-low 14 points.
Joely Schelfhout (Oshkosh/Oshkosh West),
Aliana Rauter (Milwaukee/Ronald Reagan),
Gabriela Jardin Soriano (Appleton/Appleton North) and Williams all pulled four flags while Rauter racked up four tackles-for-loss including a pair of sacks. Williams also forced a fumble and was one of two Titans with a pass breakup.
Bell completed a season-high 20 of her 32 passes for 160 yards – her first performance over 100 yards – including a 37-yard completion to Schelfhout, who finished her day with 56 receiving yards while tacking on 10 yards on the ground. Bell also punted three times for 82 yards.
Following Schelfhout in receiving yards were
Aaliyah Lathrop (Port Washington/Port Washington) with 47 yards,
Jamaya Mariner (Green Bay/Green Bay East) with 31 and
Sophia Lee (Cottage Grove/Monona Grove) with 15.
Oshkosh converted six first downs to the Regents' seven, including four through the air. While Rockford held a slight 165-158 edge in offensive yards, the Titans held the visitors to 35 passing yards and dominated time of possession, 38:12-17:48.
The Titans started with the ball after Rockford deferred to the second half during the coin toss and converted a quick first down before stalling out and punting to Rockford. Following punts in each of the next three possessions, Rockford scored its first touchdown on a 25-yard Quentasia Mills rush and converted the 1-point attempt to make the score 7-0 with 29 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Bell threw her second interception of the season early in the second quarter after connecting with Schelfhout for a 17-yard reception for a first down. After regaining the ball on another Rockford punt, Bell found Schelfhout for a one-handed, 37-yard catch-and-run that nearly turned into six points for the Titans. A drop, a sack and a broken-up pass forced another Oshkosh punt, however the Titan defense held Rockford's defense without points headed into the half.
The Regents scored in their first drive of the second half but did not score again in the final 21:17 of the game.
Oshkosh crossed into Rockford territory with 1:09 left in the third quarter on a Bell-Williams connection and grinded downfield before nearly scoring on a fourth down Lathrop catch that was ruled down at the 3-yard line.
Regents punter Lucie Mapendano booted the ball out of bounds at Oshkosh's 16 and the Titans' historic scoring drive started from there. Lathrop made a pair of big catches that brought the ball to Rockford's 25-yard line, and after a neutral zone infraction against the Regents, Bell found Mariner between a pair of defenders at the 1-yard line, however she was ruled down outside the end zone and the Titans were given a new set of downs following a pass interference call shortly later. The point-after attempt was no good and Bell was sacked when Oshkosh tried to convert the one-play, 20-yard "onside kick" attempt from the Titans' 20-yard line.
The Titans will face both Rockford and Marian University (3-1) for the second time this season on Thursday, April 9 during Marian's second triangular at Smith Field. Kickoff against the Regents is set for 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. against the Sabres.
