A conversion was the difference on the scoreboard, and it favored Glendale (2-1). The Merlins traveled to Berkeley (1-2) in week four of the Women’s Premier League and trailed the All Blues on two occasions. Both teams scored three tries, but Glendale added an extra conversion for the 19-17 win. [Photo: Jackie Finlan]
“It definitely had its ups and downs,” Glendale vice captain Joanna Kitlinski said of the game overall. “We came out with a lot of power and with a lot of speed – playing to our game pattern. And then we kind of let off in the second part of the first half, let a couple tries go down.”
One of Glendale’s most effective go-forward weapons occurred off the scrum, as No. 8 Carmen Farmer picked from the back and worked the weak side with scrumhalf Carly Waters. One such passage deployed a fast attack in Berkeley’s end and nearly ended with a Maya Learned dive-over try. A penalty came out of the subsequent scrum and Farmer went quickly through the mark for the try. Captain Gabby Cantorna added the extras for the 7-0 lead after 12 minutes.
Photo: Jackie Finlan
Berkeley started building a nice attack near the 20-minute mark and the pressure saw Glendale flanker Rachel Ehrecke draw a yellow card for batting down a pass. Evan Hoese sent the penalty kick to touch, a solid lineout followed and the ball moved wide to Serena Liu inserting in the line. The fullback worked the 2-on-1 with Laura Thacker as the option and dotted down, 7-5.
Play stayed interesting. Hoese broke through an otherwise oppressive defense, tearing down the sideline to quickly relocate play to inside Glendale’s 22, but the ball was jarred loose in the tackle. On the next passage of play, Farmer picked from the scrum and connected with flanker Jeanna Beard for a pacey breakaway back into the All Blues’ end. Hoese, again inspiring some creative play, chipped over the defense off a scrum and Bulou Mataitoga just missed the pick-up – but Thacker didn’t for an exciting tear.
Photo: Jackie Finlan
As the half closed, Berkeley used one of several scrum penalties and a solid lineout to get inside Glendale’s 22. A controlled attack ensued on the back of steady forward punches, and then one pass off ruck opened up some space for Katy Augustyn to dive over. Flyhalf Sam Miller kicked the conversion for the 12-7 lead.
There were only a couple of minutes on the clock but a trio of Berkeley penalties helped Glendale march downfield. Well into injury time, Glendale set up a five-meter scrum and Farmer picked off the back. Although initially stopped at the line, the No. 8 kept grinding to get over the line and find grass, 12-all.
“We decided possession was the most important so we weren’t going to do 50-50 passes,” Kitlinski recalled halftime conversations. “We wanted to play to our game pattern so we wanted to take it up and get more in the structure that we have instead of giving these crazy offloads, and just keep our composure.”
Photo: Jackie Finlan
But it was Berkeley that surged first. Minutes into the second half, the ball quickly moved wide through the backs and Mataitoga did a great job reigning in a fingertip pass and controlling the ball through swarming defense for the try, 17-12.
“They were up another try but we knew there was time left in the game,” Kitlinski said. “We’re confident with our team and our pattern, and we were just patient. We knew we could stick it through.”
Glendale played in advantageous territory for the next 25 minutes, and Berkeley weathered that pressure well. The reserves were impactful, especially Berkeley’s Ros Okpara and Glendale’s Franciny Alves Amaral, who was one of several Merlins making their debut for the Colorado side. Wing Kaitlyn Broughton (USA, Atlanta, Life) made the starting XV, while centers McKenzie Hawkins (USA, Lindenwood) and Paige Stathopoulos (USA Falcons, Boston), and lock Jenny Kronish (All-American, Harvard) subbed on.
Photo: Jackie Finlan
Eventually, however, back-to-back penalties inside the 10 meter saw Ehrecke tap quickly through the mark for the dive-over try. Hawkins added the conversion for the 19-17 lead that lasted through regulation.
“Obviously we were hoping we’d win with a little more points but overall we got the win,” said Kitlinski, Player of the Match. “We needed that going forward just into another game next weekend against ORSU so I think there are things we can work on but it gives us the confidence for next weekend.”
It was a tough loss for Berkeley, but the All Blues did log the bonus point for the close defeat. On the other side of the WPL West, Life West traveled to San Diego for a 40-16 victory and leads the division at 4-0.