Photos: Mike Morley (during DI Spring Championship Rounds of 16/8)
The Women’s DI College Spring Championship saw the most change this year. The post-season began with DI Elite teams, and unlike 2016, the final stage was a final four weekend rather than a single game. Coupled with the location, UC Davis experienced a very different run-up to the 2017 spring final, but the result was the same.
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The trip did not start ideally. The Friday-Saturday schedule meant players had to negotiate work and school commitments and some players arrived in Marietta, Ga., in the early hours Friday. The coaching staff was worried about recovery, a veritable concern when facing a big Central Florida in the spring semifinals.
UCF was on it quickly and outscored UC Davis four tries to two in the first half, 24-12.
“We went into the shed and it was honestly the first time that I can remember when I was a little upset: You better pull it together really quickly because any aspiration of playing in the championship game will go bye-bye,” UC Davis coach Gary Gordon recalled the halftime chat. “There was a really quick mood shift because we looked over and UCF had music on and were dancing – they were celebrating almost. The team took that to heart: OK, they think they’ve won the game already.”
Tactically, Davis needed to step up its defense and shut down the pop passes happening in the A channel for big north-south gains. With recent experiences against DI Elite BYU and Lindenwood, the Davis forwards knew they were capable of competing with athletic, mobile packs, and flanker Tonya Wessman led the way in upping the aggression.
“We elevated our defense and the offense took care of itself,” Gordon said. “We’re explosive on offense – we get our continuity going, our phases going – and we don’t worry about scoring points. We have our weapons and we get our breaks, but we needed to keep possession and not let them score any more points.”
After the 36-24 spring semifinal win, Davis watched Notre Dame College defeat Stanford in the second overtime period and identified the Falcons’ attacking players.
“Firstly, Stanford really improved from the last time we played them – markedly,” Gordon said. “Notre Dame College had athletes all over the place. They were dynamic, not predictable, and we were concerned going into the final. When we thought we were playing them first [in the semifinals], we thought: We better have it together or we won’t make the final round.”
Davis accounted for the first two tries through wing Prai Harris and fullback Carli Watt, and then coughed up a penalty try to end the half, 10-7. Notre Dame College captain Lea Walsh scored early in the second half and Emilia Ferrara’s conversion gave the Falcons a 12-10 lead, which held for about 20 minutes.
“There was no panic in them,” Gordon said. “We dominated territory in the second half but it did take us a while to take the lead back. But in that time, we shut them down and they weren’t really going anywhere. We really stressed cleaning up the breakdown and no penalties.”
Wing Becca Lehman, who completed the best back three in the tournament, scored in minute 68, and Watt followed with her second score, 20-12.
As the clock wound down, the Falcons launched an offensive deep in Davis’ end. Scrumhalf Danielle Walko-Suia tap-danced her way into the try zone and a quick conversion made it 20-19 to Davis, and time for a final play.
“My first thought was: This is karma coming back. Because that’s how we won last year and the rugby gods are going to bite us in the butt,” Gordon reacted. “That was an all-out effort from their nine. … But we weren’t worried. We came right back – kicked down field, took possession and scored in the waning seconds.”
It was a close, competitive game befitting a championship weekend.
“It feels 10 times better when you do it twice,” the coach said of this year’s title. “Last year was more emotional because we won on the last second of the game. But it’s a huge accomplishment to make it back here and win again – even better, if that’s even possible.”
Gordon lavished praise on the contributions of every player, and how the ego-less culture of the team pushes everyone to better each other. But championship MVP Sydnee Watanabe was special and she was also our Canterbury College Player of the Week. Coach Gordon on the backs’ captain:
She’s just a menace. She’s all over the place. Her motor is just amazing. She just gets in that game and doesn’t stop, causes havoc everywhere, especially at the breakdown. She stole so many balls – just lethal around the breakdown area. She’s so quick to her feet, strong, jackals the ball all the time.
People underestimate her sometimes, but when they get stiff-armed to the ground, that changes their attitude. She’s like our police, the enforcer. We go as she goes. She elevates us and people want to be there to support her or emulate how she plays. She’s the DNA of our team – the heart and soul.
UC Davis fans will have an opportunity to see the Aggies in motion once more, as the team was selected to the USA Rugby Women’s 7s championship. In the meantime, Davis will enjoy its place as the top DI spring college.