FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - In another defensive battle between two familiar foes, Eastern Flag Football dropped a 13-12 heartbreaker to Marymount in the ECAC Flag Football Championships on Sunday afternoon. Trailing 13-0 heading into the fourth quarter, the Eagles put together a furious rally, scoring two fourth quarter touchdowns, including a 25-yard touchdown pass from Kira Green to Molly Schellpeper on fourth and goal with eight seconds remaining. However, Eastern's rally came up just short as it failed to score the extra point. 

After Marymount scored back-to-back touchdowns on its first two drives of the second half, Eastern went to work. On the first drive of the fourth quarter, the Eagles needed just five plays to find the end zone. Green completed a pass to Damiyae Moyet on fourth down to give the Eagles a fresh set of downs, and on the next play, Green hit Kyle Massenburg in the flat, and the sophomore scampered 34 yards down the right sideline to cut the Marymount lead to 13-6. It was Massenburg's fifth receiving touchdown of the season. 

With momentum on their side, the Eastern defense made a critical stand. Stephanie White made a big tackle on a first down run by Jesenia Velez, and Massenburg went on to stop Velez in the backfield to set up third down. The Eagles then swarmed Cara Vollmer on third down to force a Marymount punt, and the ensuing kick was carried by the wind out of bounds at the 27-yard line, giving the Eagles great field position with 1:18 to play.

The Eagles quickly got into the red zone, but a sack of Green and back-to-back incomplete passes set Eastern up with a fourth and goal from the 25-yard line. However, on the next play, Green lofted a perfect pass over the heads of multiple Marymount defenders and into the waiting arms of Schellpeper in the end zone, cutting the Marymount lead to one with eight seconds remaining. It was Schellpeper's 10th receiving touchdown of the season. 

Opting to go for the tie, Eastern set up for the one-point conversion. The Saints, however, held, forcing an incomplete pass to stop Eastern's comeback bid one point short. 

The first half was a defensive battle as neither team was able to find the end zone. Eastern's biggest defensive play in the first half came on a fourth and goal as Dominique Geiger, who had an interception against St. Joe's yesterday, broke up a Velez pass to keep the game scoreless.

In the third quarter, the Saints centered their offense around Velez and found success. Velez, who was named the Atlantic East Tournament MVP last weekend, scored Marymount's first touchdown on a seven-yard touchdown run on fourth and goal. On the Saints next drive, Marymount converted two huge fourth down play on their way down the field, capping it off with a two-yard run by Brianna Lee. 

Eastern will wrap up the year with a 21-4 mark. In just two years, Eastern has amassed a 35-8 record with a pair of playoff wins.