LANCASTER, PA – The College of Staten Island women's flag football club team traveled to Lancaster Bible College this past weekend for the second NCFFL two-day regional tournament, this time in Pennsylvania. The Dolphins posted a 3-1 record across four matchups, showcasing strong performances on both sides of the ball.
CSI opened day one with a matchup against a tough Villa Maria College squad, falling 24-7. Villa Maria remains the only undefeated team in the NCFFL. Later in the day, the Dolphins faced SUNY Cortland, a team that had defeated them by five points in the Maryland regional. Determined to bounce back, CSI found itself trailing 13-0 early before cutting the deficit to 13-6 just before halftime. Both defenses held firm throughout the second half until CSI evened the score at 13-13 late in regulation. The Dolphins' defense then delivered a key stop, forcing a turnover on downs. With under 10 seconds remaining, Kimberly Kravar connected with Gia Esposito for the game-winning touchdown, sealing a 19-13 victory. Esposito finished with three receptions, including the decisive score, and was named Player of the Game.
On day two, CSI opened with a dominant, wire-to-wire 26-2 victory over St. Joseph's (Brooklyn), marking their first such win of the season. Julia Schmidberger earned Player of the Game honors after recording three touchdowns, eight flag pulls, and 115 total yards. The Dolphins quickly returned to the field to take on Bethany College in their final game of the weekend. After a scoreless first half, Bethany struck first to take an 8-0 lead. CSI responded with two touchdowns, including a long catch-and-run, to go ahead 14-8. The Dolphins' defense held strong in the closing minutes to secure their third consecutive win. Kravar was named Player of the Game, finishing with two touchdowns, 167 passing yards, and a 52% completion rate.
For their performances throughout the weekend, Schmidberger and Esposito were named to the All-Tournament Team, recognized not only for their production but also for their energy and leadership on both sides of the ball.
The Dolphins now sit at 4-4 overall in NCFFL play and will await seeding for the NCFFL Championships, scheduled for May 2-3 at the Capelli Sports Complex in Tinton Falls, NJ.
Full match-up details/results for the NCFFL Season Tournaments can be found using this link HERE.
