WASHINGTON, D.C. - After dispatching of Cairn 27-21 in a semifinal matchup earlier in the day, Penn State Harrisburg's women's flag football team avenged its only setbacks of the season by defeating top-seeded Gallaudet 12-7 in a defensive slugfest of a United East Championship Game and capturing the conference's inaugural flag football title on Saturday afternoon, April 25.


Defensive back Bianca Williams was named the United East Championship Tournament MVP after racking up 10 total tackles, including nine solo stops and a pivotal sack. Nadia King capped her impressive campaign by throwing for 238 yards and two touchdowns and rushing six times for 40 yards. Morgan Cruz and J'ene Thompson each caught a touchdown pass, while Nyra Perez and Jordan Carpenter caught eight balls apiece. 


Following a scoreless first quarter, the Lions (11-2) finally broke through when King connected with Thompson for a five-yard touchdown early in the second period. Penn State Harrisburg's defense locked down the rest of the quarter and kept the Bison (12-2) off the board heading into halftime. 


As the third quarter wound down, the visitors struck again when King connected with Cruz and the latter broke multiple tackles before racing 29 yards for a touchdown that put the Lions up by multiple scores heading into the final period. Gallaudet eventually got on the board with a fourth-quarter touchdown but Penn State Harrisburg's defense made a stand in the clutch, using a tackle for loss and a fourth-down sack to thwart the Bison's comeback attempt at the goal line with less than a minute to play, securing the inaugural United East Championship in thrilling fashion. 


NOTABLES
- Saturday's final contest was the inaugural United East Championship Game. 
- Williams was named the United East Tournament MVP after racking up 10 tackles, including nine solo stops, a sack, and a tackle for loss. 
- King was 32-for-40 for 238 yards and two touchdowns through the air. She also rushed for 40 yards.
- Perez and Carpenter finished with eight receptions apiece, while Cruz and Thompson each caught a touchdown pass.
- Mi-La Guest was the team's leading receiver with five catches for 54 yards. 
- Perez added an interception in the secondary, while Thompson tallied eight solo tackles. 


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