Gladiators Top New Orleans 51-34

Friday June 12, 2015

NEW ORLEANS - Three first-half turnovers on downs forced by the Gladiators defense propelled Cleveland (7-5) to a 51-34 road win over the New Orleans VooDoo (2-10) Friday night at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Gladiators went on a 24-0 run that stretched from the early portion of the second quarter and into the third quarter, as Cleveland never trailed Friday evening in securing their second straight road win. Shane Austin accounted for 265 passing yards and six touchdown passes while adding a rushing touchdown, and Dominick Goodman led all receivers with 13 receptions in the game; Goodman finished with 128 yards and two touchdowns, while Collin Taylor also notched three receiving touchdowns. The Gladiators return home to take on Tampa Bay next Friday, with the game set to begin at 7:00 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena.

After the VooDoo turned the ball over on downs on their first drive of the game, the Gladiators executed a six-play, 45-yard drive that ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Amarri Jackson to give the Gladiators a 6-0 lead. New Orleans would match the Gladiators to tie the game at 6-6 through one quarter, but the Gladiators pulled away by outscoring the VooDoo 17-0 in the second quarter.

Goodman ignited the Gladiators second quarter scoring with an acrobatic 24-yard touchdown grab on fourth down just 1:35 into the frame. The Gladiators would lead 13-6 as a result of Goodman’s first touchdown of the game, and held that lead until Taylor’s seven-yard touchdown catch with 2:05 left in the second quarter extended the Gladiators lead to 20-6. Adrian Trevino drilled a 22-yard field goal as the first half expired to give the Gladiators a 23-6 lead at the break.

The Gladiators extended their scoring run to 24-0, and took their largest lead of the game when Austin and Taylor connected on a 23-yard touchdown pass with 10:21 left in the third quarter. Taylor’s second of three touchdown catches in the game pushed the Gladiators ahead 30-6, and marked the only Gladiators points of the third quarter.

The Gladiators entered the fourth quarter with a 30-13 lead, and each team posted 21 points in the fourth quarter. The Gladiators scored on a two-yard rushing touchdown by Austin just seven seconds into the fourth, and Taylor and Goodman each hauled in touchdown catches during a busy final minute of regulation to secure the Gladiators victory.

The Gladiators host Tampa Bay Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena, and the game airs live on 92.3 The Fan.

NOTES: The Gladiators have now won back-to-back games three times this season, and have won back-to-back road games twice… The Gladiators finish the season series against New Orleans with a 3-0 record, twice winning at the Smoothie King Center in 2015… Goodman and Taylor surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the season Friday night… The Gladiators were 7-7 in the red zone, and 2-3 on fourth down on Friday… The Gladiators outgained New Orleans 283 yards to 247… Follow the Gladiators on Twitter @CLEGladiators, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/clevelandgladiators, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/clevelandgladiators.