Keiser University Athletics

No. 3-ranked Keiser University rebounded from a 13-7 loss versus Warner on Friday to eliminate Kansas Wesleyan with a 47-28 victory to earn a spot in the NAIA National Championship Game slated for Saturday. 

Keiser struck first and carried the lead into halftime after an impressive opening-quarter drive. The Seahawks marched 54 yards in five plays, highlighted by a 34-yard connection from Ava Wallace to Tremesha Harris that moved Keiser inside the Warner 10-yard line. Wallace later capped the drive with a two-yard rushing touchdown to give Keiser a 7-0 advantage with 2:40 remaining in the first quarter.

The Seahawks' defense held Warner scoreless through the opening two quarters and limited the Royals to just four first downs in the first half. Keiser also recorded a sack and several pass breakups to maintain the halftime lead.

Wallace completed 32-of-40 passes for 218 yards while adding the Seahawks' lone touchdown on the ground. Keiser totaled 211 yards of offense and controlled possession for more than 23 minutes.
Tremesha Harris led the receiving corps with several key catches, including the 34-yard reception that set up the game's opening score. Olivia Rijo, Dakota Moberg, and Janasia Wilson also turned in productive performances in the passing game as Keiser finished with 32 completions.

Defensively, Dakota Moberg recorded a key tackle late in the fourth quarter as Warner drove deep into Keiser territory, while Janasia Wilson broke up a critical third-down pass to keep the Seahawks within striking distance.

Warner tied the game in the second half before taking the lead for good on a late fourth-quarter touchdown drive. The Royals used an eight-play, 42-yard march that ended with 31 seconds remaining to secure the 13-7 victory

The Seahawks earned a spot in the NAIA National Championship Game after totaling 438 yards of offense and scoring touchdowns on five of their six red-zone opportunities. Keiser averaged 9.1 yards per play while converting 5-of-7 third-down attempts in the victory.
 
Keiser set the tone early, building momentum behind an efficient passing attack and timely defensive stops. The Seahawks scored 19 points in the second quarter before adding 15 more in the third to take control of the contest.
 
Quarterback Ava Wallace led the offensive charge, directing a balanced attack through the air and on the ground. Keiser piled up 16 first downs, including 15 through the passing game, while controlling key moments throughout the second half.  Wallace finished the game with a school-record 440 yards passing on 36-of-42 passing, including five touchdowns. Wallace's top target in the game was Janasia Wilson, who had a season-high 11 receptions for a career-best 149 yards and four receiving touchdowns. She also added one on the ground.
 
The Seahawks' defense also came through with several momentum-changing plays. Keiser forced a key turnover midway through the fourth quarter when Aliyah Wood intercepted a pass and returned it four yards for a touchdown, trimming the Seahawks' lead to 33-21 before Keiser answered with another scoring drive. Leading the way was Sarah Villarreal, who registered 10 flag pulls and one pass breakup
 
Keiser answered every Kansas Wesleyan rally, including a pivotal nine-play, 66-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that extended the lead back to two possessions with just over five minutes remaining.

• With the split, Keiser improves to 20-6 all-time in the NAIA postseason play 
• The Seahawks are now 4-0 all-time versus Kansas Wesleyan and 10-3 all-time versus Warner
• The Seahawks are 8-4 versus ranked opponents this season
• Ava Wallace set the school record for passing yards in a game with 440 versus KWU
• She is also the first player in Keiser history to record over 5,000 yards in a single season (5,437)
• With 18 flag pulls on the day, Moberg leads the NAIA in flag pulls with 167
• The Seahawks will face the Royals in the Inaugural NAIA National Invitational Championship Game