Photo: Justin Purdy •
Glendale and Twin Cities are the “regulars” in terms of top-four teams competing for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) championship, but New York and San Diego have the goods to feature in Sunday’s final. The games begin at 10 a.m. Eastern on Friday, and the championship semifinals start at 2 p.m. All games will be viewable on The Rugby Channel. (For the 5th place semifinal previews, click here.)
NOTE: The Rugby Breakdown provided regular WPL coverage to USA Rugby, and the season-long reportage features on the national governing body’s website.
2PM GLENDALE v NEW YORK
New York has been one of the big stories this season. In two years, the team went from 0-8 to 6-0 at present. It’s a combination of a years-long overall and incoming talent. But as coach James English had explained, the culture re-attracted elite-level players. People like Kate Daley, Alycia Washington, Evi Ashenbrucker, Emily Magee, Kassidi Wynter and Phaidra Knight have helped a team that finished fourth last year. Captain Tiffany Faaee, Shelby Lin, Mary McCarthy and Cynthia Wright are just a sampling of the returners carrying on the rebuild. It’s been a few years since New York was considered a title threat, and that’s exactly what they are this season.
Glendale knows all about building something successful. The Raptors advanced to the 2011 DI championship before entering the WPL and finishing runner-up at the 2012 WPL championship. Glendale then went on to win the 2014 and 2015 WPL trophies. The expertise begins with head coach Kitt Ruiz, who has won WPL titles as a player and assistant coach. She’s backed by veterans like Sarah Chobot, Taryn Brennan, Kristen Shalosky, Joanna Kitlinski and Jeanna Beard in the forwards, and Hannah Stolba, Christen Suda and Jenny Lui in the backs. The Raptors have brought on stellar talent like Eagle Carmen Farmer and French international Amandine Chatelier, as well as Wisconsin alumnae Justine Wypych and Melissa Polheber.
To say the least, this semifinal should be a good one.
4PM SAN DIEGO v TWIN CITIES
On the other side of the bracket, San Diego and Twin Cities Amazons do battle. The Surfers have been the story of the Blue Conference, especially after a 30-point win over Glendale to end the season. The USA Women’s National Team is developing a residency program for 15s forwards, who are playing with San Diego during the WPL season and doubling up with trainings at the Olympic Training Center. Hope Rogers, Sam Pankey, Molly Kinsella, Jordan Gray and Jamila Reinhardt have been hugely influential, and younger forwards like Matelina Maluia and Mely Quiroz have impressed as well. The team has always benefitted from its proximity to the OTC and the 7s athletes working in and around the center, and it’s still seen in players like Hunter Griendling, Dana Meschisi and Danielle Miano. The Surfers will be missing Deven Oswiany in leadership and performance due to injury.
For the first time (since the WPL’s creation?) the Twin Cities back line will not feature Lynelle Kugler. It’s tough to replace such a difference-maker, but the Amazons have the personnel to do it. Captain Sylvia Braaten is a source of inspiration and she’s working with WPL vets Jacie Vonada, Kaelene Lundstrum and Katana Howard. Kate Stephens has done well to finish her scoring opportunities, and Maria Bowker won Player of the Week. Rachel Lentsch is controlling the game from scrumhalf, and the forwards are rooted in long-timers like Ali Gillberg, Rachel Maas and Anna Brown, to name a few. Watch for loose forwards Becca Brown and Tupouahau Paea to be influential.