Graceland Women’s Flag Football Falls to William Woods in Road Matchup

Fulton, Mo. – The Graceland University women's flag football team dropped a 44-13 decision to William Woods University on Tuesday evening. Despite a strong opening drive and a determined effort on both sides of the ball, the Yellowjackets were unable to keep pace with the Owls' high-powered offense.

With the loss, Graceland moves to 3-5 on the season and remains 1-2 in conference play. William Woods improves to 6-2 overall.

Game Recap

The Yellowjackets struck first, scoring on their opening drive with quarterback Shyla Barrios completing a quick one-yard touchdown pass before converting the one-point attempt to give Graceland an early 7-0 lead.

William Woods answered back later in the first quarter and took control in the second, scoring twice in the final five minutes of the half to carry a 19-7 advantage into halftime.

The Owls extended their lead in the third quarter with three consecutive scoring drives, capitalizing on defensive takeaways to push the margin to 38-7 before Graceland could respond.

In the fourth quarter, the Yellowjackets found the end zone again, orchestrating a 10-play, 66-yard drive that ended with Barrios rushing for a touchdown. However, William Woods tacked on one more late score to seal the victory.

By the Numbers

• Barrios led Graceland's offense, completing 17-of-40 passes for 193 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. She also paced the ground attack with 64 rushing yards and a score on 20 carries.
• Kymani Freeman led all receivers with six catches for 87 yards, including a 45-yard reception that set up a scoring opportunity.
• Delaney Mondino added a touchdown reception as part of her two-catch, 24-yard performance.
• Jazharia Taylor and Delaney Mondino each recorded an interception on defense, while Grace Jensen and Aiyanna Hannah chipped in with three total tackles apiece.
• The Yellowjackets outgained William Woods in first downs (14-12) but struggled with pass protection, surrendering six sacks for 34 yards.

Coach Aaron Richardson's Comments

Following the game, head coach Aaron Richardson reflected on the team's performance and the focus moving forward:

"We had some bright moments, but we need to execute more consistently across all four quarters. Offensively, we moved the ball well at times, but turnovers and missed opportunities put us in tough spots. Defensively, we made some big plays, but we have to tighten up our execution. We'll learn from this one and get back to work. We have a big home game coming up, and we'll be ready."

Up Next

Graceland returns home this weekend for a conference showdown against Ottawa University (Kan.). The Yellowjackets will host the Braves on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Huntsman Field in Lamoni.

For more information on Graceland women's flag football and all Yellowjackets athletics, visit GUjackets.com.