SUNDAY, JUNE 27, 2010 - STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - The United States and Austria made American football history at the Zinkensdamms IP Stadium in Stockholm when they kicked off the inaugural IFAF Women's World Championship at 1pm local time on Sunday, June 27.
The first-ever U.S. Women's National Team, assembled and managed by USA Football and the Independent Women's Football League, cruised to a 63-0 victory as Boston Militia running back Mia Brickhouse rushed for two touchdowns. The U.S. defense also did its part by stifling the Austrian attack, which showed glimmers of promise through team MVP running back Marie-Theres Michelitsch, who rushed for 71 yards.
Courtesy video highlights of Team USA's victory, produced by the Swedish football federation, are available here.
"I'm pleased with the win of course," Team USA Head Coach John Konecki said. "We tried to stay balanced with our running and passing game and took what the defense gave us. We came out slowly but soon found our rhythm."
New York Sharks wide receiver Adrienne Smith scored the first historic points in IFAF Women's World Championship history with a 52-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Sami Grisafe of the Chicago Force who would finish the game with three touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown of her own.
Team USA MVP Rusty Sowers then reeled in a five-yard touchdown pass to establish an early 13-point lead, but Saskia Stribrny of the Raiffeisen Lady Vikings blocked the extra point attempt.
The U.S. thought an interception return by Sharon Vasquez of the Pittsburgh Passion had doubled the lead, but an inadvertent whistle brought the return that had gone all the way to the end zone back to the line of scrimmage. Angela Bandstra of the Tennessee Valley Tigers produced a crucial pass breakup as Austria threatened to move downfield.
The U.S. wasted no time in putting further points on the board as Melissa Gallegos of the Southern California Scorpions found a wide-open Jennifer Blum of the New York Sharks in the end zone from 14 yards out for a 19-point advantage after the two-point conversion attempt failed.
The powerful Jessica Springer of the Dallas Diamonds gained 24 dominant yards up the middle as the US opened the second quarter by going to a hurry up offense that put the Austrian defense on its heels even more. That opened up the field for Danilynn Welniak of the Tigers to reel in a 14-yard touchdown catch and a decisive 27-0 lead after Adrienne Wilson of the Boston Militia caught a two-point conversion pass with 10:27 remaining in the half.
After another bustling Springer carry took the U.S. to within a yard of the end zone, Brickhouse broke the plane and the U.S. added the two-point conversion for a 35-0 lead. Grisafe would connect on her third touchdown pass of the game passing from 24 yards out to Sowers with one second remaining in the first half for a 42-0 halftime lead.
"Coming from a week of training camp - it was hard and hot," Sowers said. "And to come here and put it all together - it was pretty cool."
Early in the third quarter, Brickhouse ran off the blocking of Springer from two yards out for her second touchdown. The Austrians then mustered an offensive threat in reply. Michelitsch took a neatly executed misdirection run to earn a rare first down, but again the U.S. defense held firm.
Springer, who led the U.S. with 12 carries for 120 yards, earned deserved reward for her afternoon of moving the chains for the U.S. with a determined charge down the left sideline for a 45-yard touchdown and a 56-point advantage.
Grisafe finished her very impressive performance as she kept the ball on a bootleg as the entire Austria defense bit on the play and surged left while she ran to the right and jogged three yards untouched to the end zone for a 63-0 final score.
Austria Head Coach Cameron Frickey will take the lessons the team learned into their coming games as well as the future.
"That is the reason we are here to see how we measure up against the world," Frickey said. "Now we know what we have to work on."
Host Sweden takes on Canada at 6pm local time / 12pm EST today at the Zinkensdamms IP Stadium in Stockholm. Team USA resumes play at 6pm / 12pm EST on Thursday, July 1 against Finland while Austria also faces Finland at 1pm / 7am EST on Tuesday, June 29.
Games can be watched on a live webcast accessible through www.2010WWC.info.
2010 IFAF Women's World Championship schedule
Sunday, June 27, 2010
1pm USA 63 Austria 0
6pm Sweden vs. Canada
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
1pm Finland vs. Austria
6pm Germany vs. Sweden
Thursday, July 1, 2010
1pm Canada vs. Germany
6pm USA vs. Finland
Saturday, July 3, 2010
11am Fifth Place game
3pm Bronze Medal game
7pm Gold Medal game
