NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Life U, 20; Warner, 32
Records: Life U, 4-3 (3-3 SUN) ; Warner, 11-0 (3-0 SUN)
MARIETTA, Ga. -The Life University women's flag football team put together a resilient effort but came up short against #3 Warner University, falling 32-20 in a back-and-forth contest.
Life U struck early and answered Warner's opening drive with a statement of their own, as quarterback Cheyenne Brooks led an impressive 66-yard drive capped off by her 10-yard touchdown pass to put the Running Eagles on the board and even the score at 6–6 in the first quarter, setting the tone for what looked like it could become a back-and-forth shootout. Brooks was sharp throughout the night, finishing with 280 passing yards and two touchdowns while spreading the ball effectively across a deep receiving corps led by Altierra Gooch, who hauled in seven receptions for 83 yards and both of Life U's receiving touchdowns. Latoya Mitchell added a team-high 10 catches to keep drives alive and maintain offensive rhythm.
Despite the early momentum, Warner's passing attack proved difficult to contain, as quarterback Kathryn Hutchinson orchestrated a relentless aerial assault, throwing for over 300 yards and five touchdowns.
The second quarter proved pivotal, as turnovers and missed opportunities stalled Life U drives while Warner capitalized with quick-strike scores, including a 52-yard touchdown connection that extended the visitors lead and put the Running Eagles in a hole heading into halftime. Still, Life U showed grit coming out of the break, with the defense forcing key stops and Promise Cooper delivering a spark with an interception that briefly swung momentum, but the offense was unable to fully convert those chances into points.
The breakthrough finally came late in the third quarter and into the fourth, when Life U pieced together one of its strongest drives of the game, moving efficiently downfield before Dechea Branham punched in a short rushing touchdown to cut into the deficit and bring renewed energy to the sideline. That momentum carried into the final period as the Running Eagles continued to fight, refusing to back down despite the scoreline, and Brooks connected with Gooch once more in the closing seconds for a touchdown that capped the scoring for Life U and highlighted the offensive potential. Defensively, Laila Wade led the charge with seven tackles while Ainhoa Garcia Velasco and Kyra Zackery contributed key plays, including a sack that helped disrupt Warner's rhythm at times, though the consistent pressure from Warner's passing game ultimately proved to be the difference.
In total, Life U recorded 13 first downs and nearly 300 yards through the air, demonstrating the ability to move the ball effectively even against a high-scoring opponent, but negative rushing yards and a handful of costly second-quarter sequences made it difficult to keep pace. While the result didn't fall in their favor, the performance underscored the team's resilience and offensive firepower, giving the Running Eagles a foundation to build on as they look ahead to their next match up with lessons learned from a hard-fought contest.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--Cheyenne Brooks: 32/42 completions, 280 yards, 2 TD's
--Altierra Gooch: 7 receptions, 83 yards, 2 TD's
--Latoya Mitchell: 10 receptions, 62 yards
--Laila Wade: 7 TKLs
UP NEXT:
--The Running Eagles will be on the road traveling to Campbellsville University to compete in the Flag Frenzy beginning on March 27.
