Game 11: @ Brigham Young University

Milwaukee College Penguins (2-8, #104) @ Brigham Young University Cougars (1-9, #100)

I thought I'd try something new and actually have Ross (QB #1) run the ball. Now I know she's not the most fleet quarterback, but once you send all your receivers down-field, and there's good blocking up front, one can usually outrun most of their hulking defensive linemen. So, on our second possession,I had her run. A 6-yard gain, followed by an 11-yard run, at the end of which she actually LEAPT, instead of sliding, to get more yardage. We were all yelling on the sidelines, "Slide! Slide!" I don't know why she leapt - maybe some plain old macho - but we do know that she actually injured her chest on the tackle. A bruised sternum was the prognosis from the locker room. Out for the game. I'm sure her bum elbow wasn't feeling too good, either.

In came plucky sophomore QB Root (QB #5) with six minutes left to play in the first, no score. It was essentially her game. Hers to win or lose. On that series, she went 4-for-5 passing, setting up an easy 3-yard TD run for Ciraldo (FB 25). I thought, and these were my exact words, writ on my clipboard, "Our future is closer than it has ever been before."

Our defense held them to 3-and-out. Then Root again led the charge down the field. We suffered an injury to Khalafian (TE #81) (strained pectoral), but what really hurt was Root's first of four (!) interceptions. At the threshold of the end-zone, she threw it right into the hands of their middle line backer. But we held them to another 3-and-out.

Our next drive stalled at the 30-yard line, setting up a long field-goal attempt by Goodman (K #30). His aim was true, but the wind was gusting some 20 mph against him, and it fell short.

Then the Cougars' offense came to life. 70 yards in 4 plays and 70 seconds to tie it up. On their next possession, a 32-yard pass puts them up 14-7 as we headed into half-time.

The Cougars opened up the half with a quick TD drive, capped with a 57-pass. 21-7. Our offense couldn't respond. Sieczek (TE) dropped a pass that he shouldn't have that would've converted a third down. Drives would stall just beyond Goodman's kicking range and then we'd have to turn the ball over on downs. On drives when that didn't happen, Root threw interceptions. Sometimes she just floats the ball in the air, or leads her receivers too far. Turning the ball over four times ain't going to win you games. She gotta get that under control.

STATS: MKE @ BYU

score: 14 - 35
first downs: 20 - 11
total offense: 373 - 315
rushes - yards: 44 - 122 --- 8 - 36
comp-att-TD: 23 - 44 - 0 --- 11 - 32 - 5
passing yards: 251 - 279
sacked: 1 - 0
turnovers: 4 - 2
fumbles - lost: 2 - 0 --- 1 - 1
intercepted: 4 - 2
t.o.p: 25:55 - 6:05

KEY PLAYERS (Offense)

Root (QB #5) 88.6 rating 23-43 for 251 yards, 3 INT; 8-38 rush
Ciraldo (FB #) 12-33 rush, 1 TD; 1-10 yards rec
Barber (HB #11) 6-24 rush, 1 TD
Montgomery (WR #15) 6-52 rec
Bogner (LT #52) 7 pancakes

KEY PLAYERS (Defense)

R. Umali (ROLB #50) 3 tackles
D. Leplae (CB #16) 3 tackles
Ziegeweid (FS #34) 1 tackle, 1 INT, 2 pass deflects
Mikulay (LE #45) 2 tackles, 1 forced fumble
S. Umali (MLB #43) 1 INT

Note: Denton, TX, then Provo, UT. We've completed our Mountain Goats "All Hail West Texas" tour. We went 0-2.