WOMEN’S FLAG FOOTBALL SURGES TO 30-7 VICTORY AGAINST ST. JOSEPH’S-BROOKLYN IN REGULAR-SEASON FINALE
THE PRESS CENTER | THE ROCKY REWIND | SPORTS
MAY 2 2026 AT 5:08 PM
The Montclair State University women’s flag football team (12–1) closed out its inaugural regular season in dominant fashion Wednesday night, rolling to a 30–7 victory over St. Joseph’s-Brooklyn at Sprague Field.
How It Happened
- Opening Statement Drive: Montclair opened the game with an 11-play, 64-yard march. Haddiyah Bell set the tone early, ripping off runs of 11 and 12 yards and hitting Serenity Muhammad and Maya Anico for gains of 16 and nine. The Red Hawks stalled at the Bears’ nine-yard line but established control immediately.
- First Strike: After forcing a punt, MSU took over at the SJB 39. Leaning on the ground game, Emily Del Rosario capped the short field with a five-yard touchdown run for a 6–0 lead.
- Defensive Standoff, Offensive Breakthrough: Both defenses tightened, with St. Joseph’s gaining just one yard on its next drive. The Bears briefly flipped momentum with a 35-yard interception return, but Montclair’s defense held firm. Bell responded by engineering a drive to the SJB 14, then delivered a fourth-and-goal strike to the back of the end zone, pushing the lead to 12–0 at halftime.
- Second-Half Spark: After an eight-play Bears drive ended in a punt, Genevieve Fara wasted no time. On Montclair’s first play of the half, she sliced through the defense for a dazzling 44-yard touchdown run, extending the advantage to 18–0.
- Bell Takes Over: Later in the third, Bell launched a deep ball to Muhammad for a 37-yard touchdown—only for it to be erased by a flag-guarding penalty. No matter. On the next play, Bell kept it herself and sprinted in from the 12, stretching the lead to 24–0.
- Bears Break Through: St. Joseph’s avoided the shutout with a fourth-and-two gamble from its own 18. A completion over the middle turned into a 62-yard touchdown—the longest play allowed by MSU’s defense all season—cutting the deficit to 24–7.
- Closing Statement: Montclair sealed the night with a 10-play, 66-yard drive, highlighted by another electric run from Fara. She hit the edge and outran defenders for a 27-yard score, locking in the 30–7 final.
Inside the Numbers
- Bell’s Dual-Threat Brilliance: 87 passing yards and a touchdown, plus 105 rushing yards and another score. It marked her second straight 100-yard rushing game and continued her streak of scoring in every game she’s played this season.
- Fara Everywhere: Three carries, 69 yards, two touchdowns. Defensively, she led the team with 10 tackles and two tackles for loss.
- Relentless Pressure: Bri Carter added three sacks, continuing her disruptive season.
- Home Dominance: Montclair finished its inaugural regular season 12–1, including a perfect 8–0 record at Sprague Field.
- National Recognition: The Red Hawks climbed to No. 19 nationally in womenscollegeflagfootball.com’s Top 25 Poll.
From the Field
“Proud of our efforts tonight to finish the regular season with a win at home. Pleased with our progress as a group as we prepare for the upcoming ECAC playoffs this weekend.” — Head Coach Jim Kelly
Up Next
Montclair enters the ECAC Tournament as the top seed, earning a direct berth into the semifinals on Sunday, May 3. The Red Hawks will face Franciscan, Wagner, or Mount Saint Mary at 10:00 a.m. at the New York Jets Practice Facility in Florham Park, NJ.
SOURCE CREDIT: montclairathletics.com/news
