DC Divas Brace for Round Two Against the Boston Militia

Watch D.C. Divas @ Boston Militia Live Saturday May 18th 2013 5:45pm EST Live on US Sports Network Powered by US Sports Fitness

Neal Rozendaal

Washington, DC – The DC Divas will attempt to become the first team in five years to win a regular season game in Boston when they travel to take on the Militia Saturday.

The Divas (4-1) received a needed boost of confidence last weekend when they easily defeated the New York Sharks, 49-6.  The game was halted after three quarters due to lightning, but Divas head coach Alison Fischer was happy with how her team responded to the adverse weather conditions.

“I thought we handled the rain pretty well,” Fischer said.  “In the past, we’ve had a little trouble when the weather got wet, because the ball gets extremely slippery.  But I thought the offense did pretty well, and the defense stepped it up this week.”

Fischer was especially proud of her defense, which kept the Sharks off of the scoreboard in the first half with a strong goal line stand at the end of the second quarter.  “That was a good stand,” Fischer remarked.  “We had a couple pass interference penalties, but we were still able to hold them at the goal line.  That’s a positive.  I think the defense played better this week.”

The Divas’ defensive performance was in stark contrast to that of their loss three weeks ago against the Boston Militia (5-0), when DC surrendered 56 points – the most in franchise history – in a 56-35 defeat.  Coach Fischer hopes that the team has corrected their deficiencies in a hurry before they take the field with the Militia for the second time.

“We definitely had some issues in that game that we’re still trying to correct,” Coach Fischer said.  “We did okay against Boston at times, but in a lot of areas we just didn’t play that well.  So we’re really focusing on correcting those mistakes and playing better.”

Probably the biggest key to this matchup will be whether or not the Divas can slow the Militia’s powerful running game, led by Whitney Zelee.  Zelee almost single-handedly led Boston to victory three weeks ago by carrying the ball 26 times for 339 yards and five touchdowns, along with four successful two-point conversion runs.  “Zelee’s a special running back.  She’s the total package,” Fischer noted.  “And that’s Boston’s game; you know it’s coming.  You know she’s going to get the ball, and it’s just a matter of trying to stop it.”

The game in Boston will be a difficult challenge for the Divas, because the Militia are very strong on their home field.  Boston has won their last 20 regular season contests and are 21-1 all-time at home in the regular season.  Their only regular season home loss came against the New York Sharks, 25-24, on May 10, 2008.

Around the WFA – The Boston Militia improved to 5-0 on Saturday after a hard-fought victory over the Pittsburgh Passion, 42-28…The Miami Fury topped the Jacksonville Dixie Blues, 14-5, becoming the first team since 2005 to defeat the Dixie Blues twice in the same season.  The 5-0 Fury face their division rivals, the 5-0 Tampa Bay Inferno, this weekend; Miami and Tampa Bay are the only two division foes who are both still undefeated…The Central Cal War Angels (based in Fresno, California) ran their season record to 5-0 with a 49-22 victory over the IWFL’s Nevada Storm.  The War Angels’ second-leading receiver, Lisa King, and her husband Jeff own and operate the WFA.