The Pirates wasted no time scoring on their first possession as running back Jimmie Robinson capped off a nine-play, 45-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead. Iowa failed to move the ball from its own 16-yard line and after a missed 50-yard field goal attempt by Gabriel Rui, Massachusetts needed just one play to go up by two scores. Quarterback Alejandro Bennifield threw a 45-yard bomb to Teo Redding to make the score 14-0.

With Iowa in the red zone, linebacker Calvin Bundage tackled Barnstormers quarterback Kyle King for a loss. Then defensive tackle Guy Thomas sacked the quarterback for a nine-yard loss as the quarter came to a close. 
 

The second quarter began with the Barnstormers facing a fourth and 19. Rui connected on a 40-yard field goal to get Iowa on the board. The Pirates responded with a six-play, 45-yard drive with Bennifield taking it in from two yards out for a 21-3 advantage. 

The Barnstormers put together its best drive of the half as receptions by Keshaun Taylor and Quian Williams set up a Robert Washington two-yard touchdown run. Rui then added the point after and a "deuce" to make the score 21-12. Bennifield then scored his second rushing touchdown of the night on an eight-yard scamper to put the Pirates up 16, but on the last play of the half, King threw a nine-yard strike to Taylor who went up and over the boards for the score, making it 28-19 Massachusetts at the half.
 

The Barnstormers' Jefferson Fritz returned the second half kickoff to the Massachusetts 17. Four plays later it was King running three yards for a touchdown and with the point after, Iowa trailed by only two points.
 

The next three possessions resulted in missed field goals. The quarter ended with Josh Gable missing a 57-yard try and Fritz returning the ball 51 yards to the ten-yard line.
 

Iowa took its first lead of the game with 13:03 remaining as Washington found the end zone from five yards out. Rui's PAT made the score 33-28. Rui connected on his second "deuce" of the night, upping the advantage to 35-28.

A third consecutive stop by the Iowa defense led to an eight-play, 45-yard drive with Taylor pulling in a 13-yard catch for his second touchdown reception of the night and a 42-28 lead.

The Pirates scored their first points of the second half with 2:40 to play as Bennifield found a wide-open Thomas Owens from 14 yards out. Those would be the last points of the night as the point after was no good, making the final score at 42-34. 

The Pirates outgained Iowa with 241 yards to 162. Quarterback Alejandro Bennifield was 18 of 28 passing for 209 yards with two touchdowns. He also rushed for two scores. Jimmie Robinson led the Massachusetts running attack with 25 yards on nine carries with a touchdown. Robinson also has six receptions for 34 yards and wide out Teo Redding added four catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
 

Matt Elam recorded nine tackles for the Pirates while Guy Thomas had five stops including three tackles for a loss with a sack.
 

Iowa out rushed the Pirates 88 yards to 34. Robert Washington led all ball carriers with 63 yards on 12 attempts with a pair of touchdowns. Quarterback Kyle King was 16 of 28 for 97 yards and two touchdowns. His top target was Keshaun Taylor with seven receptions for 63 yards and two scores. Defensively, Ian McBorrough had 11 solo tackles with two assists and four tackles for a loss.
 

The Pirates return home to face the Northern Arizona Wranglers on Saturday afternoon, May 18 at the Tsongas Center in Lowell at 1:05 eastern time.
 

About the Massachusetts Pirates
The 2021 United Bowl Champions; Massachusetts Pirates are members of the Indoor Football League (IFL) and play their home games at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. For more information on the Massachusetts Pirates please call (508)452-MASS (6277), email contact@masspiratesfootball.com or visit http://www.masspiratesfootball.com. Follow the Pirates on Facebook via Facebook.com/MAPirates, Instagram @mass.pirates, and Twitter @mass_pirates.