UC Davis center Erica Hipp scored four tries Sunday. /// Photo: Jackie Finlan
Below is an overview of where the various spring-based DI women’s college conferences stand. All of the following leagues are building toward the DI spring playoffs, which begin at the Round of 16. After the quarterfinal round, the top-four teams advance to the DI Elite national semifinals, and teams 5-8 move onto the DI spring semifinals.
RELATED: Women’s Rugby Results: Feb. 11-12, 2017 • Women’s DII College: Review & Preview • Canterbury Players of the Week
PACIFIC MOUNTAIN
WEST: UC Davis (4-0) sees Humboldt (1-4) on back-to-back weekends and posted a 117-10 victory last Sunday. Center standouts Sydnee Watanabe and Erica Hipp scored four tries apiece while prop Sabrina Perez and No. 8 Cecilia Flores earned forward honors. On Saturday, the Aggies’ B side will play DII Fresno State in a friendly.
Stanford (3-1) and Chico State (2-2) will also revisit each other after last weekend’s game went 24-12 to the Cardinal (read more). The Wildcats will then turn around on Sunday to play Cal (1-4).
NORTH: This competition enjoys a bye week after completing Round 1. Washington State (3-0) is undeniably the team to beat, having defeated Washington (1-2) 78-5 last weekend. Oregon (2-1) bested in-state rival Oregon State (0-3) 60-21. The Oregon vs. Washington rematch is the game to watch, as it will likely determine which team takes the second seed to the conference crossovers.
Virginia Tech led UVA at half. /// Photo: Natalie Krevetz •
MASON DIXON
NORTH: There’s only one more game to play in the North pool: Kent State (1-1) vs. Temple (0-2) on March 11, and the result will determine the final seeding into the conference quarterfinals. James Madison (3-0) is undefeated in the North and posted big scores against opponents in the fall.
SOUTH: The South pool still has three more weeks of league play, and we may have seen the best game so far: UVA (3-0) 22-7 Virginia Tech (2-1) (read more). UNC (1-1) defeated NC State (0-3) 40-20 in the New Year, while East Carolina (0-1) restarts this weekend.
MacDonald returns to a familiar position. /// Photo courtesy UC San Diego Women’s Rugby
GOLD COAST (standings)
San Diego (3-0) is coming off a 40-15 win over Arizona State (2-1). Wing Ly was a major loss at scrumhalf but fortunately the back line adjustments aren’t unfamiliar to the players affected. Alex Beckett has slid in a spot to scrumhalf, where she used to play for Fallbrook High School. Teigan MacDonald moved from inside center to flyhalf, her position with the Pleasanton Cavaliers. It’s a talented sophomore duo, one that is influential on scoreboard.
CSU Northridge (0-2) came very close to serving UC San Diego a loss (40-36) and will play Arizona (2-0) this weekend. UCLA (0-2) plays UC Santa Barbara (0-2).
FLORIDA
No one’s come close to Central Florida (5-0), including last year’s best league competition, Florida International, which forfeited the teams’ first meeting. Click here for details on UCF’s season so far.
INDEPENDENT
The only independent team in motion this weekend is Life University, which takes on DI senior club Raleigh in the first run of the spring. Stay tuned for pre-game comments from Life coach Ros Chou.