PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Soul lost in the closing seconds of the game against the Arizona Rattlers, 64-57, in front of 7,027 fans at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday. The Soul (5-5) surrendered a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter to Arizona (10-1) after a dominating defensive performance.
“We did a lot of good things today both offensively and defensively,” explained Soul head coach Clint Dolezel. “I’m proud of my team. They fought back and did everything they could. I’m proud of my team as a whole and I know we did a good job today. Our job is to win. We just need to capitalize when we put our team in position to win.”
Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game Tiger Jones led Philadelphia receivers with eight receptions for 171 yards and four touchdowns. Andrae Thurman had seven catches for 70 yards, while Ryan McDaniel recorded five receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns.
Soul QB Dan Raudabaugh connected on 20-of-33 passes for 308 yards and six touchdowns.
On the ground, FB Derrick Ross finished the game with 10 rushing yards.
Riddell Defensive Player of the Game DB Rayshaun Kizer recorded 12 tackles and a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown. DB LaRico Stevenson had 7.5 tackles on the night and an interception, while DL Bryan Robinson had 2.5 tackles, a half-sack, and a blocked kick that he returned for two points.
Arizona’s QB Nick Davila connected on 28-of-48 passes for 362 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. WR Rod Windsor led the Rattlers’ receivers with two touchdowns on eight catches for 111 yards. J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Game Odie Armstrong had seven yards and three touchdowns. DB Virgil Gray led the defense with 7.5 tackles.
Arizona opened the game with two touchdowns, after two big stops defensive stops against the Soul offense. The Rattlers scored on a 26-yard touchdown catch by WR Rod Windsor, which won Cutters Catch of the Game, and a 2-yard run by FB Odie Armstrong. Philadelphia answered the Rattlers by scoring on a 7-yard catch by WR Tiger Jones, closing the first quarter with Arizona in the lead, 14-7.
Both teams opened the second quarter with touchdown passes, as Arizona WR Tyson Poots scored on a 9-yard catch and Jones on a 45-yard catch. The Soul brought their deficit to one after an interception returned for a touchdown by LB Joe Goosby. After another Poots score, DL Bryan Robinson earned the AFL Highlight of the Game when he blocked the extra point and returned it for two points, putting the Soul down five. The Soul took the lead on an 18-yard catch by WR Ryan McDaniel. The first half ended with the Soul in the lead, 29-27.
Both teams scored two touchdowns in the third quarter, with the Soul finishing the quarter in the lead 43-42. Philadelphia scored on a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown by DB Rayshaun Kizer and a 30-yard touchdown catch by Jones. Arizona scored on a 2-yard run by Armstrong, who also ran in the two-point conversion, and a 14-yard touchdown catch by WR Kerry Reed.
The Soul extended their lead in the fourth with two unanswered touchdowns, scoring on a 15-yard touchdown by McDaniel and a 32-yard touchdown by Jones. The Rattlers pulled within seven after a 4-yard touchdown pass to Windsor and converting for two. With less than a minute remaining, Arizona tied up the game on a 1-yard run by Armstrong. After a late interception in the end zone by Arizona, the Rattlers drove down the field and scored on a 1-yard run by QB Nick Davila to win the game.
The Philadelphia Soul will be host the New Orleans VooDoo on Saturday, June 8 at 7:05 p.m. ET. The game will be aired on the Comcast Network.
Russell Athletic Offensive Player: Philadelphia’s WR Tiger Jones
Riddell Defensive Player: Philadelphia’s DB Rayshaun Kizer
J Lewis Small AFL Playmaker: Arizona’s FB Odie Armstrong
Cutter’s Catch of the Game: Arizona’s WR Rod Windsor one-handed touchdown catch
Spalding Highlight of the Game: Philadelphia’s DL Bryan Robinson blocked kick return
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