Minnesota Machine at Kansas City Storm – May 16, 2009

 

After a tough 28-0 home loss to the St. Louis Slam, the Machine looked to regroup and took to the road for their meeting with the Storm on a sunny day in Kansas City.

 

Minnesota kicked to start the game and tried to catch the Storm off guard with an onside kick, but the Storm were able to recover in Minnesota territory. However, the Machine defense held strong and forced a quick three and out to prevent the Storm from taking advantage.

 

And then the Abby Krause Show began.

 

It started with a 30 yard punt return by Krause to midfield. Then just two plays later, Krause took a wide receiver screen from quarterback Kim Miller and quickly darted through the Storm defense for a 50-yard touchdown and a 7-0 Machine lead.

 

The Machine defense proved indestructible again on the following Storm drive, forcing another quick punt. After a holding penalty on Yolanda Fason's punt return, the Machine quickly sliced their way down the field on a four play touchdown drive. After a few great runs by Fason and fullback Melisa Schlueter put the Machine deep in Kansas City territory, Danielle Thompson capped off the drive with a 24 yard scamper into the endzone. The conversion failed, but Minnesota still held a 13-0 advantage early on.

 

Thompson fired the following kickoff a yard deep into the Storm endzone, and the Kansas City returner made the ill-advised decision of trying to return the kick. She was thrown down at her own 3 yard line, and the Minnesota defense assured good field position after forcing yet another punt to end the first quarter. The Kansas City punt didn't travel far, and the Machine took over at the Storm 20.

 

One thing that all machines strive for is efficiency. The Minnesota Machine's next drive was as efficient as they come: one play, one touchdown. Krause took another screen pass from Miller, followed some excellent downfield blocking and broke a couple of tackles to score her second touchdown of the day. Thompson added the extra point to increase Minnesota's lead to 20-0.

 

The Storm fumbled on the first play of their next drive, but they were able to recover. Two plays later, they weren't so lucky. Schlueter picked off an errant Storm pass on third down and returned it 29 yards all the way to the Kansas City 17 yard line. This time around, Minnesota's offense sputtered and Thompson took the field lining up a formidable 35 yard field goal attempt. With a little bit of help from the crossbar, the kick went through and the Machine's lead increased to 23-0.

 

After the Machine defense proved impenetrable yet again, Fason took a pitch 62 yards and made a highlight reel run to the endzone. Unfortunately, it was called back for a holding penalty. The call turned out to be very costly, as the Machine fumbled the snap away to Kansas City on the next play. But the Storm couldn't dent the Machine's stout defense and gave the ball right back by failing to convert a fourth down late in the first half.

 

The previous week, the St. Louis Slam scored a late touchdown on Minnesota using a trick play. This time, it was the Machine's turn. Backup quarterback Mandy Merriman pitched it to Miller, in at running back on the play. Or so it seemed—Miller launched a perfect pass to Krause streaking down the sidelines for a 58 yard touchdown and a 30-0 halftime lead for the Machine.

 

The second half began a lot like the first half—with Abby Krause in the end zone.

 

After returning the opening kickoff 23 yards, Krause lined up in the backfield instead of her usual wide receiver position. It turns out that she's pretty comfortable at running back too. She sped through the Storm defense on the first play from scrimmage of the second half for a 53-yard touchdown, her fourth of the game. Thompson tacked on the extra point to push the Minnesota advantage to 37-0.

 

After the Machine defense stifled another Storm fourth down attempt, the Machine got the ball back near midfield. And since Krause enjoyed her 53-yard touchdown so much, she thought she'd give 54 a try. She took another handoff from Merriman and pounded through the aforementioned 54 yards for her fifth touchdown of the day.

 

If you're reading this game report and wondering if Kansas City threatened to score, I'll do you a favor—it didn't happen. The Machine continued their impeccable defense and got the ball back in Kansas City territory. After a big first down pass from Merriman to tight end Sara Schoen to keep the drive alive, Miller took a handoff and bounced it outside for a 15-yard Machine touchdown and a 51-0 lead after the extra point.

 

After the Machine defense forced (you guessed it) another Kansas City punt, the short kick settled at the Storm's 41 yard line. Right as the play was about to be blown dead, Krause saw an opportunity and picked up the ball. The opportunity turned into her sixth touchdown of the day as she flew up the left sideline and into the endzone on the punt return. The Machine led 58-0—a familiar score to Minnesota, since they had demolished the Missouri Phoenix by that exact score two weeks earlier.

 

By now, you know the drill—another Kansas City drive, another punt forced by the Machine's airtight defense. Fason took the punt return 59 yards for a score, but once again, Fason had a touchdown negated by a Minnesota holding penalty. The two teams exchanged punts as time ran out in the fourth quarter, and the Machine won their first road game of the season, 58-0. The Machine (2-2) will get two much-deserved bye weeks to rest and recuperate. They'll have revenge on their mind to start the second half of their regular season at the St. Louis Slam on June 6th.