A new DI spring college champion will be named tomorrow, as Chico State and Central Florida won their respective semifinals today. The Wildcats bested UVA 41-20, while Central Florida defeated two-time reigning champion UC Davis 31-29 in the final minutes.
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Chico State and UVA swapped momentum in the first quarter, which ended 12-10 in the Wildcats’ favor. Throughout the match, penalties and quick turnovers marked play, and it was especially true in the first 20 minutes as teams dealt with nerves.
Four minutes in, back captains Darby McFall broke through from fullback, and lock Jennifer Brissenden continued to advance down the sideline. Forwards captain and hooker Andrea Velazquez then scored from close distance. Minutes later, outside center Stefani Bergerhouse scored the first of her three tries, hitting the line at pace and charging too hard for tacklers. McFall’s conversion afforded the 12-0 lead.
Shortly after the restart, flyhalf Hannah Kirk Nass scooped up a dropped pass, and UVA began to attack inside the 22. Flanker Willie-LeeTriania Young, who was a major go-forward force along with teammates Robin Watkins, Alaijah Cheeseman and Moriah Hairston, capitalized on a penalty advantage with a try. Chico State then lost Stacy Espinoza for 10 minutes, and right after the water break, Cheeseman was rewarded with a try after so many good carries, 12-10.
Then it was UVA’s turn to succumb to some pressure and cough up some penalties. After a held-up try, Chico got its 15th player back, stole a UVA scrum and put No. 8 Rebecca Luedke away for five. Just before the break, inside center Hannah Westfall broke away from Chico’s end, and Bergerhouse was there for the recycle and try. And then right away, the inside center did a great job of spying a gap in the backline defense and scored herself. McFall’s conversions gave Chico a 31-10 lead.
Bergerhouse then took a cue from Westfall and attacked a half-gap to score in similar fashion. McFall converted the try and then added a penalty 10 minutes later, 41-10.
An error on the restart allowed UVA to build some momentum, with Cheeseman doing especially well with ball in hand, and then fullback Hannah Turley wove through the defense for the try, converted by wing Abigail Duff. The UVA linebreaks started to mount, but Chico State fullback McFall was incredible, planting try-saving tackle after try-saving tackle. It was a hot, physical day, and she just didn’t fade.
A final score came from UVA’s Duff, a penalty in the 75th minute, for the 41-20 win in Chico’s favor.
There was a bit more drama in the subsequent semifinal. Central Florida came out firing and got into good position after a Jessica Warner break and hard punches from No. 8 Donneisha Smith – who was really good in contact all day. Scrumhalf Gabby Pennino dove over for five.
Davis made good use of multiple UCF penalties, marching downfield, but also lost two players to injury in the process. After the second stoppage, the Aggies regrouped for a tap penalty and sent the ball to the ever-reliable Brenda Erickson. The quick try was followed by Becca Lehman’s conversion, 7-5.
Right away, Davis strung together some nice, at-pace offloads along the sideline and speedy wing Kat Thompson tore away for the try and 12-5 lead. The Aggies then lost fullback Prai Harris for the rest of the game, and her absence makes a big difference.
As the first quarter neared its end, wing Agnes Fuerst showcased her speed for a break into Davis’ end, and after an intentional knock-on on the five meter, backs captain Cortney Kuehl went quickly for the try, 12-all. That quick reaction would come in handy later.
The teams traded tries before the break, with Davis taking the first lead through a Sabrina Perez charge at the line and finish from replacement Guadalupe Ruiz. UCF flanker Christina Norman – another bruiser – took the final pass from Fuerst and lunged over the line for the 17-all scoreline into halftime.
Davis re-established control during the first 10 minutes of the second half, as flyhalf Lehman read the staggered defense perfectly and stepped her opposite for a 10-meter try, which she converted. Minutes later, a brilliant individual effort from Thompson, so fast, saw Davis go up 29-17. The wing should have scored her third try just before the fourth-quarter water break, but the final pass was deemed just forward.
Despite the many, many turnovers and steals on both sides, Davis was enjoying better ball. UCF seemed a little down on itself, that is, until Smith was able to score in the 68th minute. There was very little celebration after the No. 8 just powered off the scrum for five points, but there was a cheer as fullback Jamie Spataro slotted the sideline conversion – because now it was a 29-24 game.
Five minutes later, Davis looked to score again, as Lehman broke into open territory and sent a bouncing pass wide. A penalty, however, followed and Kuehl did not hesitate in going quickly. She was alone as she broke tackles, but then she broke all of them and scored after 50 meters. Spataro converted the centered try for the 31-29 lead change.
A minute later UCF was pinged for a high tackle, in the middle of the field, in Lehman’s range. The kick missed and UCF reset for the drop 22, but it didn’t go too far. Fortunately for the Knights, they won a lineout, and then Davis stole possession. UCF gave up a not-rolling-away penalty, again in kicking range, but the quick-tap was taken and a knock-on followed shortly afterward.
UCF assumed the turnover marked the final play of the game and kicked to touch, but the referee’s clock ticked on. UC Davis fielded a clean lineout near UCF’s 22 meter, drew a penalty (out of kicking range), and tapped-through quickly, before turning over the ball. Kuehl then checked with the referee and he confirmed a kick to touch would end the game. And as the ball sailed out of bounds, UCF sealed its first trip to the DI Spring Championship final.
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