The Rugby Breakdown writes the women’s portion of USA Rugby’s weekly club recap (below). To read the full recap, click here.
PACIFIC NORTH: NORCAL
San Francisco Golden Gate (SFGG) and Berkeley are both 2-0 in DII NorCal after last weekend’s wins. SFGG built off of its season-opening win against San Jose with a 25-10 victory over Life West Saturday.
“My opening preamble to the team was: This is all mental fortitude. It doesn’t matter what they were or what we were last year; it’s how you approach every single game,” SFGG head coach Emma Hadfield recited Saturday’s pre-game speech. “It’s about putting one foot in front of the other and making your next step better than the last.”
Captain Morgan Wisehart did well to keep the team focused during an even first half, and the speed and attacking ability of Simone Colas energized the squad.
“There were moments when they started to break us down, and then there are always a couple of those senior core players that really elevate the team and bring it back for us,” Hadfield said. “There were times when our rucking wasn’t clean, and we worked so hard on that last week. All it takes is a couple of those veterans setting the ruck, slowing it down and executing, and once we get the ball in hand and moving forward, everything comes really naturally.”
SFGG tidied up its game in the second half and pulled away for a 25-10 win.
Berkeley opened up against San Jose, recording an 85-7 win to lead the league standings. There was a period in the first quarter when the teams were knotted at 7-7 – Mariah Blackmore scored San Jose’s try, which Teagan Hughes converted – but otherwise the game belonged to the All Blues. Maria Victoria Abrenica, Teru Baker, Cathy Cai, Kat Chasakara, Erika Granger, Briana Riley, Sally Shatford, Jazmyne Spear and Angelina Tuakalau scored tries, while Chasakara kicked the majority of conversions.
Berkeley plays Life West this weekend, SFGG is meant to host Santa Rosa, while Sacramento plays San Jose.
PACIFIC SOUTH
DI San Diego was on its way to a landslide win against Santa Monica, taking a 31-0 lead through Bria Bohanon (3), Chun Chow and Kristina Johnson tries and three SarahRose Oberman-Breindel conversions. The Dolphins then rallied with four-straight scores from Nina Poloukhine, Daejione Jones, Ann Leese and Christina DerHagopian. Poloukhine’s conversion made it 31-22 midway through the second half. Bohanon then added one more San Diego score and Oberman-Breindel’s extras sealed a 38-22 win. Both teams banked bonus points. On the other side of the four-team league, Belmont Shore forfeited to Tempe.
Division III also saw new team Riverside forfeit to Phoenix, but a game of 10s did evolve. Meanwhile, Santa Barbara, like Phoenix, improved to 2-0 with 29-10 win over Northern Arizona. The teams were tied as Santa Barbara’s Jessica Vazquez and Northern Arizona’s Serina Satoafaiga traded scores, and then the Mermaids built some momentum with back-to-back tries through Kathryn Culhane and Amanda Kelley, 17-5. Jacqueline Castillo put down one more try for the Arizona squad, and the game ended with Santa Barbara’s Emma Matheny and Crystal Ho scoring. Phoenix and Santa Barbara play this weekend.
RED RIVER
Austin took over the DII standings after a 24-10 win against San Antonio. Both teams are 3-1, but the Valkyries have two extra bonus points.
The Riveters went up 7-0 when Antea Dedic scored 10 minutes in and Christine Krieger converted. Approximately 20 minutes later, Valkyries fullback Chelsey Arambula scored and flyhalf Zoe Hunter evened it up with a conversion. San Antonio retook the lead 12 minutes into the second half with a Krieger penalty, 10-7.
“During the first half we were pretty much neck-and-neck playing a heavy forwards game,” Austin captain Alicia Fischweicher explained. “In the second half we were able to swing the ball out to our speed. Sending in a few fresh legs and getting our ball out to space helped us secure a late win.”
Even though Austin incurred a yellow card at the turn of the fourth quarter, the team was able to put wing Kristen Karsten away for the 12-10 lead. Arambula and Jennifer Vancura added a try apiece and Sophie Babo converted for the 24-10 final.
Dallas Athletic and Bay Area are the only teams playing this weekend.
SOUTH: FLORIDA
Fort Miami and Orlando never disappoint and are the traditional rivalry in DII Florida. Fort Miami traveled to Orlando for its league opener (Orlando lost its first game 12-5 to Tampa Bay) and went up 10-0 on tries from outside center Makalia Kowalsky and wing Lindsey Perkins. There the scoreboard held until the 30th minute, when Fort Miami lock Brie Cokos scored. The visitors kept pressuring and two quick tries from inside center Morgan Brown put Fort Miami up 15-10. With 15 minutes to go, Orlando No. 8 Kristi Schnepp scored the host’s third try, 15-15. The teams pummeled each other until the final whistle, and the game ended in a tie.
Jacksonville and Indian River opened up their seasons against each other, and enjoyed a lead-changing first half before the Sinners pulled away with a 28-12 win. Wing Erica Long scored 10 minutes in and Keina Crawford’s conversion gave Jacksonville the 7-0 lead. Indian River responded with back-to-back tries through wing Ruby Sheets and lock Danielle Dipierro, who also added a conversion for the 12-7 halftime edge. In the second stanza, Long and outside center Rachael Stabbert (2) dotted down, and Long and Crawford (2) converted all three for the win.
This weekend, Orlando travels to Jacksonville, and Tampa Bay heads to Fort Miami.