Valor Fall, 47-23, to Empire in Teams' First-Ever Meeting
Saturday May 5, 2018
Windsor named Offensive Player of the Game after two-touchdown performance
ALBANY, NY — The Washington Valor were defeated, 47-23, by the Albany Empire on Saturday night at Times Union Center in the first-ever meeting between the two franchises. Valor wide receiver Rod Windsor was named Offensive Player of the Game for his nine-catch, 79-yard and two-touchdown performance.
The Empire got on the board first when wide receiver Joe Hills won a jump ball at the goal line, giving Albany a 7-0 lead two minutes into the game. Washington tied the game at seven when Windsor hauled in a six-yard pass from quarterback Warren Smith Jr. After Empire quarterback Tommy Grady’s second touchdown pass of the night, Windsor and Smith Jr. connected again, giving the Valor a 15-14 lead with just under six minutes left in the half. Consecutive Albany touchdowns, including a Malachi Jones rushing score as time expired in the half, gave the Empire a 28-15 lead at half.
On the opening play of the second half, Smith Jr. was intercepted by Empire defensive back Marrio Norman and returned for a touchdown, extending the Albany lead to 34-15. Hills caught his third touchdown of the night with 2:20 left in the third quarter, putting Albany up 40-15. Albany made it 47-15 when wide receiver Collin Taylor caught a deep pass off the net in the end zone. Valor wideout Reggie Gray found the end zone and converted the two-point conversion with under 10 seconds left, setting the final score at 47-23.
MVP: ALB QB Tommy Grady: 20-29 passing, 221 yards and five touchdowns
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: WAS WR Rod Windsor: nine catches 79 yards and two touchdowns
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: ALB DB Marrio Norman: nine total tackles and two interceptions
The Valor open their 2018 home schedule next Friday, May 11 at 7 p.m. at Capital One Arena, taking on the Albany Empire for the second-straight week.
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON VALOR
The AFL’s Washington Valor are owned and operated by Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which is one of the largest integrated sports and entertainment companies in the country with one of the most diverse partnership groups in all of sports. The company also owns and operates the NBA’s Washington Wizards, NHL’s Washington Capitals, the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, the NBA G League’s Capital City Go-Go, the AFL’s Baltimore Brigade, NBA 2K League’s Wizards District Gaming, as well as Capital One Arena, the premier sports and entertainment venue in Washington, D.C. Monumental Sports & Entertainment is also co-owner of aXiomatic, which has controlling interest in global esports franchise Team Liquid, and oversees the management of Kettler Capitals Iceplex--the training facility for the Washington Capitals--and the Eagle Bank arena at George Mason University.
