Chicago, Il., -- North Park Women's Flag Football delivered a masterclass in all three phases of the game on Wednesday night, cruising to a 34-0 victory over Benedictine University at the Holmgren Athletic Complex. The Vikings dropped their first meeting against the Eagles in a late game nail biter, but got their revenge on Senior Night. A four-touchdown performance from wide receiver Jayla Robinson and a relentless defensive effort that produced a shutout, allowed the Vikings to keep control from the opening whistle to the final horn.
The North Park offense, led by quarterback Janiya Greenfield, wasted no time establishing its rhythm. Greenfield finished the night completing 19 of 30 passes for 170 yards and four touchdowns. Her primary target, Jayla Robinson, proved impossible for the Eagles' secondary to contain. Robinson hauled in eight receptions for 93 yards, remarkably accounting for all four of Greenfield's touchdown passes.
The Vikings' scoring began midway through the first quarter with a 10-yard strike from Greenfield to Robinson, capping off a 9-play, 66-yard opening drive. The duo of Greenfield and Robinson struck again in the second quarter with a 9-yard touchdown and an 18-yard connection to push the lead to 28-0 by halftime. Robinson added her fourth and final touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 6-yard catch to seal the 34-0 win.
While the offense provided the fireworks, the North Park defense was locked in from the jump. The Vikings limited Benedictine to just 122 total yards of offense and forced two critical interceptions. Ava Balmaseda delivered the defensive highlight of the night in the first quarter. After North Park's opening touchdown, Balmaseda intercepted a Benedictine quarterback Weronika Zeliszckak's pass and returned it 23 yards for a pick-6 instantly extending the lead to 13-0. Balmaseda also contributed a sack and 30 rushing yards on offense. The Vikings' pass rush was spearheaded by Zoe Bates, who lived in the Benedictine backfield. Bates recorded four tackles for loss and three of the team's four sacks. Amber Bock led the team in total tackles with seven, while Aurora Drangevag added five tackles and a pass breakup to ensure the shutout remained intact.
This marks the first win in North Park University Women's Flag Football program history, providing a huge boost as they head into a big weekend down in Bloomington, Illinois where they will face off against familiar opponents in Illinois Wesleyan and Aurora University.
Be sure to check out the NBC-5 Chicago's story about North Park Flag Football that is set to come out tomorrow, April 23rd.
