Force use late rally to edge Soul

Courtesy of the Philadelphia Soul

Atlanta, GA (May 12) -- Philadelphia Soul kicker Connor Hughes missed a 43-yard field goal with no time left on clock as the Georgia Force completed an improbable comeback to defeat the Philadelphia Soul, 63-62, Monday night at Gwinnett Arena.

The Force scored 22 unanswered points in the final three minutes, handing the Soul its second consecutive loss after nine wins. Georgia evened its record at 5-5 and boosted its playoff chances with the victory.

Georgia quarterback Chris Greisen combined with Troy Bergeron on an11-yard touchdown and then the two point conversion with just 16 seconds left for the winning points. The Soul collapse began when Hughes missed a 20-yard field goal with 47 seconds remaining.

Georgia scored on a Greisen to Bergeron touchdown to narrow the margin to 62-55 with 42 seconds left and then recovered the onside kick. The winning touchdown and two-point conversion followed, leaving the Soul with just 16 seconds. Two plays put the Soul in position for the winning field goal attempt, but Hughes pushed it wide right to seal the outcome.

The Soul will try to get back on track with a home game against the Columbus Destroyers Saturday night, May 17, at the Wachovia Center.

Matt D’Orazio turned in another standout performance, hitting 28 of 30 passes for 315 yards and five touchdowns. Running back Clifton Smith rushed for three more scores as the Soul moved out to a 63-41 lead late in the fourth quarter. The game was a homecoming of sorts for the Soul’s star wide receiver Chris Jackson, who left the Force for Philadelphia as a free agent this past year. The league’s leading scorer with 33 TDs, Jackson was contained by the Force, catching nine passes for 91 yards, but he went without a touchdown for the first time in 53 games. Larry Brackins and Kenny Henderson picked up the slack for the Soul, each scoring two touchdowns.

Henderson was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury and the Soul also had to overcome the absence of nose guard Bryan Save, who missed the game with a triceps injury, and starting quarterback Tony Graziani, who was placed on injured reserved with his recurring knee injury.

Greisen ended up 28 of 40 for 299 yards and five touchdowns, three to Bergeron, who had 12 catches for 126 yards.

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