USA Wins Cup QF at Buzzer

There were highs and lows in the USA’s Cup quarterfinal win over Canada, but the 29-26 victory showed a depth of grit that is the big takeaway. Aspects of the game need tidying, and “connection” continues to be a rallying point for improvement, but the Eagles are playing in fight mode and that will be useful going forward.

“I think this just showed our dedication, that we’re not complacent,” Ilona Maher put the win in perspective. “Last year we got through every [Women’s Sevens Series] quarterfinal and we’re not done yet. We want to keep doing that, keep being consistent, keep showing what American rugby is.”

Alev Kelter’s opening kickoff didn’t go 10 but Canada was penalized for playing the player as the ball dribbled across the 40. The Eagles took a few hard carries into the defense and Naya Tapper nearly scored if it wasn’t for a solid chase tackle from Julia Greenshields. The recycle moved quickly to Cheta Emba in space and the prop scored the opener. Kelter added the conversion for the 7-0 lead.

Again the restart fell short but Canada didn’t err in making this opportunity count. Caroline Crossley’s line-break set up Kayla Moleschi for the try, 7-5. During that attacking series, Kelter was yellow-carded for not wrapping in the tackle, and Canada pounced.

Moleschi pierced through the middle and Ghislaine Landry scored an easy try from in close. Canada then worked the overload, pinning the dfense before sending the ball, resulting in an open lane out wide for Greenshields to score. Landry converted on both for the 19-7 lead.

“We definitely do get a little messed up when a yellow card does happen but the one thing we have to try to do is stay connected, stay together,” Maher said. “We do a lot where we’re just practicing with six [players], so the big thing – we didn’t do it as great there – is staying connected, knowing we’re in the line together. It does mess us up but we just have to keep playing like we would with seven.”

Kelter rejoined the pitch and the USA used a Canada knock-on to reset play with a scrum in its own end. The ball moved wide to Tapper, who engaged in a nice footwork battle with Charity Williams. Tapper won, but Bianca Farella came across for the tackle, and the ball moved cleanly to Kelter in the middle. Kelter and Landry fended each other for what seemed like 30 meters, and incredible, Kelter was able to deflect the Canadian, who did not opt for a lower-body tackle attempt. Kelter scored and converted, and Canada took a 19-12 lead into the break.

“We were playing a little individually out there; we weren’t connecting,” Maher recounted points of the halftime talk. “We had to bring it back together, play our game plan, be decisive. And just talk to who’s next you.”

Canada looked ready to score another try early in the second half, taking a penalty drawn in the restart to inside the USA 22. But the final pass from Breanne Nicholas to Karen Paquin went just forward, and the USA took a breath. Hard carries from Kelter, Emba, Maher and Heavirland put the game back on the 50. The ball moved to Tapper in the middle of the pitch. She stepped back inside Nicholas and powered past Williams and Landry en route to the try line.

The USA trailed by two points, and put themselves in a good position by keeping the restart. Maher took the ball in contact and handed it off to impact sub Kristi Kirshe, who just powered past Landry’s outstretched arms in close for the try and go-ahead points: 22-19 with fewer than three minutes to play.

“Not really, because the whole game was such a battle,” Maher said of turning points. “They’re such a good competitor it never felt like we had it. Which was good because it kept us on our toes, kept us ready, and kept us wanting for more. We scored one try, but even if we were up by five, it didn’t matter to us. It didn’t feel done.”

Williams did well to end a USA attack by getting over the ball quickly and drawing a not-releasing penalty. Canada thread its phases together and moved it wide to Paquin, who pushed past the defense and scored the lead-changing try. Nicholas landed the conversion for the 26-22 lead, and with less than a minute to play, there was time for one more passage of play.

“I was like, ‘Alright, fine, let them score. Let’s get them back at half. Let’s get that kickoff,’” Maher said of mindset as Canada retook the lead. “We want that.”

A well placed restart put the USA in a good position to do just that. Emba went up and pulled down a fantastic grab, hit the ground and took off for the try zone.

“I’ve never been more pumped,” Maher said of watching Emba soar. “She’s such a great aerialist and so strong in the air, so to see her do that and keep going, even though she’s been playing almost 14 minutes, to run that out was so amazing and just set a fire under us.”

Emba scored and Kelter kicked the conversion for the 29-26 win. The Eagles will take that momentum into the Cup semifinals against New Zealand, which beat Ireland 36-10.

USA7s #Glendale7s