Graceland Holds Off Cottey College for Gritty Victory in Women's Flag Football
LAMONI, Iowa – The Graceland University women's flag football team secured an 18-12 victory over Cottey College (Mo.) on Tuesday afternoon in a defensive battle at home. The Yellowjackets' win brings their record to 1-0 to open the season, while Cottey falls to 0-1.
Game Recap
Graceland controlled the first three quarters of play, building an 18-0 lead before holding off a late fourth-quarter surge from Cottey. The Yellowjackets found the end zone on their opening possession, capping off a six-play, 66-yard drive with a rushing touchdown from quarterback Shyla Barrios. Graceland added another score in the second quarter when Barrios ran in her second touchdown of the day on a five-play, 34-yard drive.
The Yellowjackets' final touchdown came early in the third quarter on a sustained 10-play, 66-yard drive, highlighted by Barrios' passing efficiency and key receptions from Delaney Mondino and Grace Jensen. Cottey, held scoreless through three quarters, responded with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a 66-yard scoring play by Tahmya Squire, but failed on both of their two-point conversion attempts. Graceland's defense ultimately held firm to preserve the win.
Stat Leaders
- Passing: Shyla Barrios (13-of-19, 248 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT)
- Rushing: Ahmari Byrd (3 carries, 39 yards), Barrios (12 carries, 4 yards, 2 TDs)
- Receiving: Delaney Mondino (6 receptions, 180 yards), Grace Jensen (3 receptions, 26 yards, 1 TD)
- Defense: Kylie Overkamp (6 solo tackles), Grace Jensen (1 INT, 3 pass breakups), Delaney Mondino (2 INTs, 26 return yards)
Graceland's defense was pivotal, intercepting Cottey quarterback Amya Corulla three times, limiting the Comets to just three total first downs and holding them scoreless for 45 minutes of game time.
Head coach Aaron Richardson praised his team's effort but emphasized the need for sharper execution going forward.
"It was great to start the season with a win, and I'm proud of the way our players competed today," Richardson said. "We had moments where we executed at a high level, but we also made mistakes that we need to clean up. Our defense stepped up and made big plays, and Shyla did a great job managing the game. Moving forward, we have to be more efficient in finishing drives and making the most of our opportunities on offense."
Next Up
The Yellowjackets will be in Southern Kansas this Saturday for a doubleheader. At 1 p.m., they will face Bethel College at Thresher Stadium in Newton, Kan. Following that, they will travel north on I-135 for a 3:30 p.m. matchup against Hesston College at Sieber Field in Hesston, Kan.
For more information on Graceland women's flag football and all of Graceland athletics, visit GUjackets.com.