Now the expectation, the Women’s Premier League did not disappoint in its level of drama. The Blue Conference produced a tie and five-point decision, while the Red Conference victors reorganized the standings once again. 

There was only one Saturday game this round, and San Diego traveled to Glendale for a top-of-the-table rematch.

“Glendale and San Diego definitely have a sense of familiarity with each other. So on game day it’s all about who can execute better,” Glendale scrumhalf Jenny Lui reflected on the 31-31 outcome. “It was a great game. And it can only help the league and the growth of the game to have strong teams who push each other, and that makes for some really exciting rugby.”

San Diego scrumhalf Liz Trujillo scored five minutes into the game, and inside center Megan Foster, back from the USA Falcons’ trip to Hokkaido, Japan, kicked the first of her four conversions. Glendale flyhalf Hannah Stolba got the home side on the board minutes later with a penalty, and then Foster scored a try, conversion and penalty to give the Surfers a 17-3 halftime lead.

“San Diego is a dangerous team that is very good at punishing errors. And they certainly did that in the first half,” Lui added. “But I was happy with how our team stayed calm and together and was able to bounce back in the second half. Now we have to work on upping that level of execution even more.”

Glendale surged in the third quarter, putting wing Nichole Wanamaker away for two tries and reserve prop Maya Learned for a third. Stolba converted all three for the 24-17 lead. The Surfers then regrouped and regained the lead as No. 8 Kate Zackary and wing Tiffany Tate dotted down, 31-24 with Foster’s conversions and approximately 10 minutes to go. In the waning minutes, reserve Matelina Maluia was yellow carded, and the Merlins made good on the advantage, as Wanamaker scored her third try. The crucial conversion from Stolba fell over, and there the game ended: 31-31.

On the other side of the bracket, Berkeley was back on the road for a fourth-straight game and looking to snap a two-game losing streak. But ORSU honed the momentum early on and 10 minutes in put flanker Rachel Johnson away for the opening try, 5-0.

“ORSU came out hard and got on the board early. They ran their forwards at the hinge and were aggressive at the breakdown,” Berkeley prop Naima Reddick recapped. “We took that as an opportunity to remind ourselves to do the little things right and answered back with three tries before the half.”

Inside center Bulou Mataitoga scored two tries and added a conversion, and prop Elena Edwards dotted down. ORSU scored through prop Adrienne Acosta, and flyhalf Karissa Postula’s conversion produced a 17-12 lead to Berkeley at the break.

The exchanges continued into the second half, and the teams actually went try for try. Berkeley’s three scores came from Reddick (2) and flyhalf Evan Hoese, and scrumhalf Shelby Lin added conversions. ORSU put Johnson, No. 8 Te Awhina Ho Chee and lock Gabrielle Dixson into the try zone, and Postula handled the extras, 36-31 the final.

“The cool thing about this All Blues team is that we’re really supportive and we just next job’d it and went back to basics,” Reddick noted that both sides struggled with penalties. “I think yesterday was a good win for us because it showed us that we can come from behind and fight through. When we didn’t commit to the basics, there were consequences; but when we made smart choices, there were rewards. I think we needed this game on a lot of levels.”

In the Red Conference, Twin Cities entered the weekend in third place and traveled to second-place Beantown. The teams tied when they played in Minnesota, and during the first half of Sunday’s game, both scored two tries. Yeja Dunn and Miranda Wakimoto scored for Beantown, and Twin Cities put lock Shaena Sparrow and outside center Kelsey Coley in for five apiece. Beantown center Tatjana Toeldte converted, and Twin Cities fullback Megan Wolff went 2-2 for a 14-12 lead at the break.

During the next 30 minutes, Twin Cities averaged a try every 10 minutes, as No. 8 Katie Johnson, scrumhalf Rachel Lentsch and flyhalf Katana Howard scored. Then, in the final 10 minutes, wing Kaelene Lundstrum and Lentsch (2) matched the try count, and Wolff added another four conversions for the 52-12 win.

The New York vs. Atlanta game was the highest-scoring affair of the weekend, and it wasn’t until the fourth quarter that New York really pulled away for the 58-32 win. The victory came at the right time for the defending champion.

“We were definitely frustrated coming off of two losses,” New York co-captain Jenn Salomon said of the Beantown and Twin Cities defeats that preceded the outing. “We knew we had the personnel to succeed … but we were definitely lacking some chemistry in terms of game plan. That was something that hit us after the loss to Beantown, and we made some changes after that. It was actually a blessing to have that bye week then, because it gave us time to rally and find out what we needed as a team.”

New York and former head coach Andrew Britt parted ways, and Tiff Faaee and Lucia Oswald stepped in as coaching staff. There’s a lot of trust and knowledge in this leadership, and it helped right New York for the second half of the season.

“We knew how important it was to win this game and came in with the mentality that we have each other’s backs and that losing was not an option,” Salomon said.

After a tight first half, New York settled into a faster game, which rested on the forwards’ ability to maintain possession through multiple phases. Fast ball made its way through the backs’ hands – something that had been lacking in previous games – and well worked, sideline-to-sideline tries followed (click here for scoring details). IN the final 15 minutes, New York scored four tries for the 26-point win.

To view the current standings and upcoming schedule visit wplrugby.org.
 

The Women’s Premier League is now at its halfway point, with all teams having played four games. Both conferences saw their standings adjust once again, building more anticipation for the second half of the season and run-up to nationals (Oct. 26-28, Atlanta).

Beantown (3-0-1) is now four standings points ahead of Atlanta (2-2) and New York (2-2) in the Red Conference, and got that cushion after a 33-30 win Sunday against the reigning national champion. The highly anticipated showdown occurred in New York, and USA Women’s 15s head coach Rob Cain was also in attendance. He praised a game that featured “end-to-end drama, great spectacle … with some really well executed, exciting tries scored.”

There were three lead changes in the first half, as New York dotted down three tries and Beantown two. Flyhalf Miranda Wakimoto and inside center Kimber Rozier finished out Beantown’s first-half tries, and Rozier added both conversions – 15-14 to New York at halftime. The final lead change occurred when lock Stacey Bridges finished out the next two Beantown scoring opportunities, and Rozier added both conversions, 28-15.

New York continued on, however, closing in with another two unconverted tries (28-25), before Beantown restored the winning margin with a Kelli Smith try, who scored from fullback. New York got one more try before the final whistle, 33-30 the final.

On the other side of the Red Conference, Atlanta (2-2) flew to D.C. (1-3) for a 51-12 win, and with it, surpassed New York in the standings. The win took some time to evolve, however, but the result was a reaffirming one.

The D.C. Furies jumped out to a 12-0 lead, as flyhalf Sam Moorhead and outside center Nate Serevi dotted down and scrumhalf Maggie Myles added the conversion.

“We have yet to master our intensity in warm-up and focus in the beginning of the game. And it was a great atmosphere for D.C., with 100-plus alumni on the sidelines,” Atlanta assistant coach Ros Chou said. “Twice we took the ball down the field to their five meter and coughed it up, so it was about getting in the groove and taking care of the ball.”

It started to come together near the 30-minute mark, and wing Christina Swift and outside center Cortney Kuehl finished offensive drives in the try zone. Flyhalf Corinne Heavner’s conversion tied it up and then a penalty in the 38th minute gave the Harlequins the lead for good, 15-12.

“We were missing quite a few starting forwards, but we know we have depth this year. Two backs played in the back row this game: Mo Compito, who is now the team backs captain, started at six, and Kandis Ruiz got time at seven. We have been learning to be very flexible,” Chou said. “We asked a lot of Mo, and she was pretty tired at the end of the game, but she has a new-found appreciation for what happens in the forwards.”

Compito scored back-to-back tries to kick off the second half, followed by Pat Neder, two from wing Cynthia Campbell, and a final from fullback Lara Gartner. Heavner ended the day with 11 points on four conversions and a penalty.

“In the past two games, and even against Life West, we were letting in tries in the last 15 minutes of the game, and it’s something we focused on in the week leading up to this one,” Chou said of improvements. “After shutting them out for the last 15 minutes, D.C. was threatening again, but we were able to withstand that pressure. That’s a positive for us as we try to play a complete game.”

There are three teams at 3-1 in the Blue Conference, and 2017 runner-up Glendale sits atop the standings after week five. The Merlins traveled to Chicago North Shore (0-4) on Saturday and posted the league’s first shutout, 45-0.

“In regards to our team defense I think we just found a level of determination that we hadn’t had in our other games. It definitely allowed us to play more on attack as well,” Glendale flyhalf Hannah Stolba reviewed. “Kudos to North Shore for their resilience all day. Our forwards stepped up big defensively and it allowed our backs to play in some space.”

All of the tries were finished through the backs, as Stolba (who also kicked five conversions), outside center Christen Suda and reserve Hannah Tennant all dotted down. And wing Nichole Wanamaker put in a big effort, scoring four of Glendale’s seven tries.

“Wanamaker finished a couple of great team tries but she did it with some really aggressive lines of run and finishing pace,” Stolba praised. “Her mentality got her through the line a few times and she really impressed with her angles and pace. She had fun, too, and just played great all around.”

ORSU (1-3) hosted San Diego on the other side of the conference, and the visitors opened up the scoring quickly. Fullback Tia Blythe and inside center Megan Foster combined for the first try and conversion, and there the scoreboard sat for the next 20-plus minutes. Captain and flanker Sam Pankey then dotted down back-to-back tries in a manner of minutes, and Foster’s conversion gave the Surfers a 19-0 lead after 32 minutes.

The Jesters surged as halftime neared, pulling to within five as flanker Rachel Johnson and wing Kimberly Law scored, and flyhalf Emma Richie converted. Right after the break, Johnson scored her second, and the teams were tied at 19.

San Diego was yellow-carded as well, and it was a make-or-break moment for the Californians. The Surfers not only rallied around the player disadvantage but sent Pankey in for the flanker’s third try of the day, 24-19. No. 8 Kate Zackary added a little more breathing room at the 60-minute mark with a try, 29-19. ORSU worked its bench, bringing on the last of its reserves in the final 10 minutes, but it was Johnson, again, who scored at the 80th. The flanker is second on the list of tries scored with seven this season, behind New York wing Sarah Levy. Richie converted for the 29-26 final.

The Jesters did not leave empty-handed, banking two bonus points for tries scored and a loss by fewer than seven points. New York also logged two bonus points in its high-scoring loss.

Week Five Results: 

Week Six Match-ups:

In week three of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), the closest game came down to Berkeley and Chicago North Shore. The All Blues traveled to the Windy City for the first of four-straight road games, and held off a tenacious North Shore for a 36-29 win.

“Possession was hotly contested at ruck time [and] coupled with handling errors, no one really had possession for very long,” Berkeley prop Naima Reddick recalled the back-and-forth match. “It was also close to 90 degrees and humid, so I don’t think anyone was in their ideal conditions.”

The visitors took a 12-0 lead after 15 minutes, scoring through fullback Serena Liu and outside center Evan Hoese, who ended the day with three tries. Flyhalf Sam Miller added the first of three conversions. Berkeley scored a third first-half try when No. 8 Kedra Davis touched down, but not before Lindenwood graduate Laura Enk crossed for five. Fellow WPL newcomer Jessica Ventrillo followed with a try before the halftime whistle, and Berkeley held a 19-10 lead.

Enk opened up the second half with a second try, and Gabby Whittinghill’s conversion pulled the scoreline to 19-17, Berkeley. The next score was the crucial one – would North Shore take the lead or would the All Blues regain momentum – and that question was answered through Davis, and then Hoese, 29-17. But there was still the whole fourth quarter to play, and North Shore ran in another two scores from outside center Nicole Fisch and reserve Bridget Kapinus. Hoese’s hat trick, however, gave Berkeley the margin it needed for the win. Although North Shore took the loss, the home side earned two bonus points in the standings.

“As to how the All Blues feel, we’re glad to have a win, even a scrappy one,” Reddick reflected. “We played for each other, blooded some developmental players and eked out a win. Full credit to North Shore for a fierce game. They kept fighting ’til the end, running hard, blitzing D, and contesting set piece. I don’t think anyone should underestimate them.”

On the other side of the Blue Conference, Glendale made solid strides after an opening-round loss to San Diego, and traveled to ORSU for a 46-14 win.

“We trusted our systems a bit more, kept things simple, and upped our defensive communication,” Glendale scrumhalf Jenny Lui explained. “ORSU has really strong, dynamic runners, so we worked to absorb that pressure and stay connected. On attack, we were able to finish more opportunities, which helped us close out a match against a dangerous side.”

Prop Melissa Polheber initiated the scoring minutes into the match, and flyhalf Hannah Stolba kicked the first of three conversions. ORSU flanker Rachel Johnson dotted down for a fourth try this season, and flyhalf Emma Richie’s conversion tied it all up after 12 minutes.

Ten minutes later, the Merlins kicked off a seven-try run that spanned the remainder of the match, seeing Stolba, Madison Slaught twice, Allison Hale, Charlotte Thompson, Sam Luther and Joanna Kitlinski across the try line. The game ended with a try from Jesters reserve Beckett Royce and Richie conversion. The Merlins will play its first home game on Saturday against 3-0 Berkeley, while ORSU gets the bye week.

In the Red Conference, Atlanta won its first-ever WPL game against Twin Cities, defeating the visiting Amazons 53-10 on Saturday.

“The team has been reinvigorated by an influx of newly graduated talent,” Atlanta head coach Kitt Ruiz noted. “We, as coaches, are starting to see how the growth of collegiate rugby has truly influenced the women’s game.”

One such example is recent Life University graduate Darian Lovelace, who served as Atlanta’s field captain against Twin Cities. The No. 8 took advantage of the WPL waiver last year, along with a handful of other collegians around the country, to sample the elite senior league.

“Having the opportunity to play a couple of games in the WPL while I was a player at Life definitely prepared me more for the WPL,” Lovelace said. “I definitely think that made the segue easier, having a taste of the competition, and made the transition not as scary. … That said, the past three games have been some of the hardest games I’ve ever played.”

Kaitlyn Broughton, also a spring 2018 Life University graduate, opened Saturday’s scoring five minutes into the match and ended the day with three tries. Lovelace also praised the work of Central Florida grad Cortney Kuehl, who added two tries, and WPL first-year Chidinma Chukwueke, who scored from the wing. The field captain was also impressed with Akilah Guzman, the Kennesaw State standout who made her WPL debut at scrumhalf Saturday. Jenna Grygier, Laketa Sutton and Mo Compito also scored tries, while Compito, Alice Plant and Corinne Heavner split kicking duties.

“We were trying to figure out how to play off each other. So many players have joined and we’re just working out the kinks,” Lovelace said of the team’s evolution this season. “We’re finally getting into a groove and learning to read each other and feed off each other’s energies.”

Wagner also credited Saturday’s win to the team’s focus on defense, and those efforts paid off against the always physical Amazons. Lovelace lauded prop Lanoira Duhart, scrumhalf Rachel Lentsch and inside center Maria Bowker for their stellar performances, and lock Shaena Sparrow scored both of the Amazons’ tries.

Finally, New York hosted the D.C. Furies in a match that featured huge swings in momentum. D.C. scored first through Boston College grad Jade McGrath, who is one of several summer Scion players added to this week’s roster. Fellow Sirens include Emilia Ferrara, Emily

Fulbrook, Maggie Myles, Nate Serevi, and former/current 15s Furies Lauren Rhode and Dana Meschisi.

The rest of the first half belonged to New York, which sent wing Sarah Levy into the try zone three times and added a Nikki Richardson conversion. Misha Green and Shamira Robles scored back-to-back in the second half, 27-5, before D.C. kicked off its rally. The Furies responded with tries from Lauran Glover, Fulbrook and Meschisi, and Rhode’s conversions pulled D.C. to within three, 27-24.

With 12 minutes remaining, New York regained controlled, as Kristen Siano added a penalty kick, and then Levy crossed for another two tries, converted by Siano, for the 44-24 win.