NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Life U 26, Florida Memorial, 0
Records: Life U, 1-0 (1-0 SUN) ; Florida Memorial, 0-1 (0-1 SUN)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - The Life University women's flag football team opened the 2026 season with a road, shut-out win over the Lions of Florida Memorial on Thursday night. The Running Eagles defense held the home squad to just 128 total yards of offense.
The Life U defense started the contest off strong, coming up with a big stop on a ten-play FMU offensive drive that ate up the majority of the first quarter. With both squads scoreless through the end of one, it was Life U to strike first. Just 15 seconds into the second quarter, Cheyenne Brooks found Dechea Branham for a 25-yard strike, making it 6-0.
After a trade of defensive stops, Brooks found Branham once again on the goal line for a one-yard touchdown pass with just seconds left in the half. Life U carried the 12-0 lead into the break with the Brooks-Branham combo having both touchdowns.
Having the ball out of half, the Running Eagles wasted no time finding the back of the end zone. Capping off a 17-play drive that took nearly the entire quarter, Brooks connected with Elora Niederpruem on a five-yard touchdown, moving the score line to 20-0 following the successful conversion.
As the defense continued to lock down the Lions, Branham found Brooks in the end zone late for one final touchdown as Life U capped off the 26-0 road-win.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--Cheyenne Brooks: 14/21 completions, 3 TDs, 1 Receiving TD
--Dechea Branham: 3 receptions, 70 yards, 2 Receiving TDs, 1 TD
--Elora Niederpruem: 5 receptions, 51 yards, 1 Receiving TD
--Kyra Zackery: 4 TKLs
--Oumy Gaye: 3 TKLs
Up next, the Running Eagles remain in the Sunshine State, taking on St. Thomas on Friday, Feb. 20.
