KWU Sports Information
LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. – Kansas Wesleyan flag football coach Melinda Nguyen is glad that Angel Roman (SO/Jacksonville, Fla.) wears purple and gold.
Wesleyan's dynamic two-sport star and talented defensive back and receiver had one big play after another as the Coyotes defeated Midland 18-7 on Friday at Paragon Star Sports Complex.
The victory propels the Coyotes into the KCAC Championship game on Saturday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium starting at 3 p.m. The Coyotes will face undefeated Ottawa University in the championship game.
Roman made her impact felt on the first play of the game. Roman snatched a Mikaela Nunez pass and went the other direction for 19 yards to the end zone putting the Coyotes up 7-0 just seven seconds into the game.
The Coyotes and Warriors went back-and-forth in Friday's rainy conditions, which persisted throughout the game, with a steadier rain falling throughout the second half.
Roman made her second pick of the game in the first quarter, picking off another Nunez pass, but the Coyotes would give it right back to the Warriors on an interception, which set up Midland's only score of the game with 45 seconds left in the first, giving the Warriors a 7-6 lead.
Wesleyan stopped Midland several times on defense keeping the Warriors out of the end zone.
One of those huge defensive stops ended a Midland drive at the KWU 19 late in the second quarter. Back went the Coyotes the other way, using a 16-yard pass from Brianna Hernandez-Silva (SR/Las Vegas, Nev.) to Jazmine Whitfield (FR/Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and then a 17-yard run by Hernandez-Silva setting up a 1-yard Hernandez-Silva run with 47 seconds left before the half giving the Coyotes a 12-7 lead.
Hernandez-Silva found Roman for a 7-yard touchdown pass with 8:55 left in the game to put the Coyotes up 18-7.
Defensive Angel Roman stepped up again on the next drive, picking off her third pass of the game.
Midland drove to the KWU 13 but a fumbled snap and a sack by Shanya Murape (FR/Toronto, Ontario) moved the ball back to the 21, forcing fourth down. Ja'Daa Wilson (JR/Crawfordville, Fla.) picked off the fourth down pass and returned it to the Midland 39 effectively sealing the win for the Coyotes.
Offense was at a premium in the game as the Coyotes only had 166 yards of total offense in the wet, rainy conditions. Hernandez-Silva was 11 of 22 for 78 yards and added 68 yards rushing. Kendra Velasquez-Munro (SO/Las Vegas, Nev.) had five catches for 24 yards. Roman had two catches for 24 yards.
Murape had seven tackles for the Coyote defense, including three sacks. Roman had six flag pulls to go along with her three interceptions.