Beantown’s Brown during the spring playoff v NOVA. /// Photos: Lynne Skilken (view more) •
The Gold Cup will serve different purposes throughout the year. During leg one, which pit the Mid-Atlantic (MAC) against the Northeast, the DI teams are in the development phase and their goals in last weekend’s games reflect that. Leg two abuts the mid-season break, and the third leg will be in shooting distance of the national playoffs.
Last weekend, NOVA traveled north for back-to-back games against Beantown and Boston, and returned to Virginia with good insight into its potential.
“The overall approach to the season is one of a very long developmental arch because playoffs aren’t until the spring,” NOVA head coach Brian Walker said. “We’re not just trying to ID the best 15, 23 or 28, but trying to develop those players who aren’t in that group but might be in six months.”
A bit of a daunting task for NOVA, which has 50-60 players at trainings and fields DI and DIII squads. Finding meaningful playing time for everyone is a constant struggle, and so the staff has been developing players along dual pathways. For example, Sara Parsons, the Canterbury Player of the Week, is part of a deep, talented back row and among those players getting time in the centers.
Last weekend, playing time wasn’t an issue, as NOVA traveled with 21. First up was Beantown, which is currently leading the DI Northeast. The two played each other in May during the DI club repechage, a game that afforded the final quarterfinal spot to national playoffs.
“That game occurred on short notice, and we had a short roster, so we were keen to face them again having a little bit deeper roster,” Walker said of the spring loss. “But we also knew they would be better as well because they were missing players then, too.
“Early on, we didn’t adapt well,” the coach said of Saturday. “They competed extremely strong in the breakdown on defense and were good at poaching and counter-rucking our support play. The first half wasn’t good, and we lost a lot of ball and fell behind the curve.”
Beantown took a 17-6 halftime lead, putting prop Lili Shi, forward MVP Maddie Sovie and lock Samantha Luther in for tries. Backs MVP and flyhalf Xanni Brown added a conversion, while NOVA’s Rachel Primo knocked over two penalties.
“We weren’t happy with our defensive pressure or launch, and we were getting beaten at the breakdown,” Walker rehashed the halftime talk. “That was a big impetus for the second half – to improve in those areas – and we started to make those changes and work in the travel reserves.”
Beantown opened up the second stanza with a penalty from outside center Tatjana Toeldte, and NOVA put down an injury-time try from fullback Christina Metzmaier for the 20-11 final.
“Bri Kim, our #9, has been a standout for us and another one I could have nominated [for Player of the Week],” Walker said. “She does a great job of getting quick ball off the deck and organizing the defense around the breakdown. When we were facing adversity against Beantown and falling behind, she played a key role in the try zone in terms of rallying the troops, so to speak. She showed good on-field leadership skills in that moment.”
“Playing NOVA was a good gauge for us,” Beantown coach Kelly Seary wrote. “We haven’t had to play a lot of defense so far this season, and we knew that NOVA would test us, as they are good ball handlers and like to move the ball to space quickly. They had a few opportunities, but we were able to shut them down with good line speed and solid tackling.”
NOVA banked its lessons and raced out to a 50-7 victory over Boston Sunday.
“This time we came out of the game much more competitive, and our support play and defensive line speed was much better,” Walker said.
Wing Steph Barros scored five tries (one was technically a penalty try) and Metzmaier added two more to her weekend tally. They highlight a backline that is small in stature but excels in work rate and support play. Walker acknowledged locks Caitlin Barkume and Avery Rain, both of whom played nearly 80 minutes in both games. The team has depth in the front and back rows, but not so much in the second row. The duo has provided stability while the team develops options there.
“From a talent development and experience standpoint, it was a good weekend for us,” Walker concluded. “The ultimate goal is that we’re peaking at the right time in late April and early May, and if we’re lucky, early June.”
NOVA has games against Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, as well as a DII crossover with Severn River, before the mid-season break. Meanwhile, the next leg of the Gold Cup occurs Nov. 12-13, and Beantown and Boston will travel to Chicago North Shore and Minnesota Valkyries. Stay tuned.