TEMPTATION TAKE TWO: LOS ANGELES DEFEATS PHILADELPHIA 26-25 IN LINGERIE BOWL VIII
Lingerie Bowl VIII held up to all the hype surrounding the game, as the Los Angeles Temptation defeated the Philadelphia Passion 26-25 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Philadelphia set the tone on the opening drive with running back Marirose Roach, utilizing her athleticism and making sure the ball was in her hands early. After a couple of errant throws by Christy Bell, Roach took matters into her own hands, literally, taking a direct snap into the end zone to put Philadelphia up 6-0. The Roach show continued on defense, as a momentum stealing sack by Roach stopped a driving Temptation offense deep in Philadelphia territory.
But the Temptation cured and ailing offense with a productive defense, as Ogom Chijindu interecepted an errant Christy Bell pass and took the ball into the end zone with around 4:00 to play in the half. The conversion was missed, and the game seemed to be heading into halftime all-square. But Marirose Roach was not done asserting her dominance, taking the Passion down the field on the very next possession and running into the end zone to seemingly end the half 12-6.
But the fireworks continued in the last 3:00 of the half. On Los Angeles’ very next possession, quarterback Ashley Salerno solidified her touting as one of the strongest Quarterbacks in the league with a deep pass to put the ball on the Passion’s 5-yard line. A Zipporah Chase touchdown run on the next play put the temptation up 13-12, following a successful conversion, with 2 :48 to play in the half. However, not to be outdone, Philadelphia put the ball in the hands of Roach who did what she had been doing all night, scored. Her third rushing touchdown of the night put the Passion up 19-13, but leaving a little under a minute left on the clock for Los Angeles. Taking advantage of the time afforded to them, Los Angeles’ Ashley Salerno completed another brilliant deep pass to WR Melissa Margulies on their final play of the half that tied the score 19-19 going into the half.
The second half began with more of the same, Marirose Roach, who once again stopped a driving Temptation offense on the 9-yard line with a sack that forced LA into a long fourth down. After an incomplete pass by Salerno, It was the Passion’s turn to try to take control of the game. And control was seemingly taken by, once again, Marirose Roach, who had her fourth rushing touchdown of the game with 8:00 left to play in the second half, putting the Passion up 25-19.
With Salerno struggling in the second half, the Temptation used star running back Zipporah Chase to try and answer Roach’s scoring and move down the field on their next possesion, and it was a smart move. Chase methodically drove the ball down the field, and culminated a brilliant effort with a hard-fought 3-yard run into the end zone with 2:25 left to play. Salerno capped off the drive with a successful conversion sneak, and the Temptation went ahead 26-25.
A last ditch effort by the Passion offense ended in a fourth-down sack of QB Christy bell, and the Temptation were able to run out the clock and earn their second straight LFL bowl victory in one of the most exciting games in LFL history.
Steve Neville is a freelance writer from Indianapolis, Indiana. He has been featured in numerous poetic journals, newspapers, and sports articles. Email Steve at steve_neville@lfl360.com
