MEDWAY, MA - The New England Intensity of the Independent Women's Football League (IWFL) won their second consecutive game this past Saturday in front of several hundred fans, coming from behind to beat in-state rival Boston Women's Football Club (formerly known as the Bay State Warriors) 13-7.
The visiting BWFC had an impressive 11-minute plus drive to open the game and take a 7-0 lead. Tough defensive play by the BWFC stymied the versatile attack of the Intensity for a majority of the game, holding the dangerous running back tandem of Milford's own Stephenie Samuelson and Lauren Manfred to a combined total of 88 yards. With 0:31 seconds remaining in the 1st half, the Intensity scored a touchdown of their own on a 19-yard pass from Val Halesworth to Tricia Donovan and enter half time trailing 7-6 with a poor snap hindering the XPA.
From New England Riss Nardelli (the Player of the Game award recipient) led with 2.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles, and her defensive teammates Kelly Kraynak (5.5 tackles), Val Monaco (5.5 tackles), Jess Szyszka (5 tackles), and Stacey Martin (3.5 tackles) held the run-heavy offense of BWFC to 133 yards on the ground and only 24 yards in the air.
Special team play of the Intensity was noteworthy, as rookie kicker Michelle Hicks averaged over 43 yards per kickoff, Missy Marmorale had two special teams tackles for losses, and Kate Slack uncorked a 45-yard punt late in the game, pinning the BWFC deep inside their own 20-yard line.
Taj Corvino, who played in California last season, came up with a huge fumble recovery in the 4th quarter to set up New England's go-ahead touchdown drive. The game-winning score came just before the 2-minute warning as Halesworth connected with TE Kate Slack for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Hicks' extra point was good and New England went on top 13-7. An interception by cornerback Stacey DeLuca with less than a minute to play caused the crowd to erupt and ended any hope for the visiting BFWC.
