Georgia Force improve to 4-5 with a 66-39 win over New Orleans
Sunday May 4, 2008
DULUTH, GA – The Georgia Force secured their first win against a Southern Division opponent of the season with a 66-39 win over New Orleans. Georgia’s defense forced five stops on the night including three turnovers. Defensive Player of the Game DB Hamin Milligan collared 4.5 tackles, one interception and one pass defensed, and DE R-Kal Truluck and LB Will Thompson each posted one sack in the victory. WR Troy Bergeron returned to action after a one week hiatus due to injury (thigh) and led all receivers with nine grabs for 137 yards with four touchdowns on his way to Offensive Player of the Game honors. QB Chris Greisen completed a season-high 74.2 percent of his passes (23 of 31) for 290 yards and six touchdowns as Georgia improved to 4-5 on the year. Next week, the Force will host the Philadelphia Soul (9-1) on a national stage as the game will be televised on ESPN2, Monday, May 12 at 8 p.m., in The Arena at Gwinnett Center.
For the first time in the three games the Force scored on their opening possession of the game when FB/LB Matt Huebner powered his way into the endzone from three yards out to give Georgia a 7-0 lead. On the VooDoo’s first offensive play from scrimmage, Georgia DE R-Kal Truluck sacked QB Danny Wimprine and forced a fumble that Force DE Jermaine Smith recovered. WR Damien Groce would put the game’s next points on the board on a four-yard run. New Orleans responded with a 35-yard strike from Wimprine to WR Wendall Williams to close the gap to 14-6. Bergeron tallied his first touchdown reception of the game on a 15-yard pass from Greisen over the outstretched arms of VooDoo LB Norman LeJune. New Orleans capped the scoring off with a one-yard touchdown pass to WR Sale Key from Wimprine. The Quarter ended with Georgia leading New Orleans 21-12.
The Force defense tallied one stop on downs and one interception in the second quarter to stake Georgia to a 38-19 halftime lead. Georgia opened the quarter with a season-long 34-yard field goal by K Carlos Martinez and followed it with a defensive stop on New Orleans’ following possession. Rookie WR Tiger Jones received a quick-toss from Greisen and snaked his way into the endzone from three yards out to give the Force a 31-12 lead. Georgia’s defense continued to play well as Milligan recorded his first interception of the season when he picked off Wimprine in the endzone. Greisen connected with Bergeron for the second time in the contest on a 32-yard bomb for Georgia’s final points of the quarter. The quarter ended with a six-yard touchdown pass from Wimprine to WR DeAndrew Rubin for the VooDoo’s lone points of the quarter.
New Orleans and Georgia traded scores in the third quarter as the Force held a 52-32 advantage heading into the final quarter of action. Greisen added two touchdown tosses to his total with a second to Jones and his third to Bergeron. Bergeron’s score came from 42 yards out to end the scoring in the quarter and marked his second longest touchdown reception of the season (43 yards vs. Los Angeles, 3/15).
Georgia outscored New Orleans 14-7 in the final quarter of play as the defense produced one stop and their second interception as the Force defeated the VooDoo 66-39. Bergeron added his fourth touchdown of the night on a four-yard pass from Greisen, and Greisen tallied a seven-yard rushing score for Georgia’s final points of the contest. Newly acquired rookie DB Chris Royal tallied his first career interception to cap off the victory late in the fourth quarter.
