Soul's 4-game winning streak stopped a yard short in loss to Mustangs

The Soul fell just a yard short.

Wide receiver Emery Sammons was tackled a yard shy of the would-be game winning touchdown as time expired, giving the Milwaukee Mustangs a 64-63 win, snapping the Soul's four-game winning streak.

For coach Doug Plank, this loss brought back memories of when the Soul lost to the San Jose Sabercats, 59-56, in the 2008 ArenaBowl.

"It was the final play, we were on offense, so I know exactly how this feels, it doesn't feel any better even after five or six years," He said. "It's about having everyone understand what we can and cannot do in that circumstance.

"We cannot afford to have the ball land on the field when we don't have time to run another play," He added.

Despite coming to the Wells Fargo Center with one of the worst records in the Arena Football League at 2-4, the Mustangs managed to match the Soul punch for punch for the entire game.

"We saw all their game film, there's nothing that they did that would give you any reason to feel like they weren't going to come out and play tonight," Plank said. "They were a very serious football team, they were all we could handle tonight."

In the first half, Soul miscues allowed the Mustangs to overcome a safety, quarterback Gino Guigugli's two interceptions, and kicker Joshua Smith's two missed extra points. Soul kicker Phil Marfuggi also missed two extra points and a fumble handed the Mustangs the lead at the halfway point.

Fullback Derrick Ross fumbled the ball at midfield with less than a minute left in the game, which the Mustangs recovered. Smith then kicked a 24-yard field goal moments to give Milwaukee a 29-28 halftime lead.

In the second half, both teams traded touchdowns before the game was decided in the final minute.

With 45 seconds left, Guigugli hit Josue Paul for a touchdown to give the Mustangs a one-point lead. With no timeouts and 13 seconds left in the game, Soul quarterback Dan Raudabaugh's pass to Sammons was one yard shy of the game-winning touchdown.

Raudabaugh finished 26 for 45 with 366 passing yards with seven passing touchdowns. On the ground, Ross had 48 rushing yards and two touchdowns.