The Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) Week 3 winners all scored 60-plus points in their respective victories … three bonus-point decisions for victors, who all scored 60+ points. Boston improved to 3-0 with a 65-12 win against Chicago Tempest (0-3). The Bay Breakers (1-1) celebrated their home opener with a 66-12 win against the TC Gemini (1-2). And Denver Onyx is now 2-0 after beating the New York Exiles (1-2) 62-7.
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Boston Player of the Match Emily Henrich scored the opener, taking the offload from Jenny Kronish, who bumped through the first wave of defense. The center sprinted into space for the first of three tries on the day. Fullback Ashley Cowdrey, who had a spectacular day, kicked the first of three conversions.
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Chicago answered back, with spitfire scrumhalf Nicole Fisch going quick from a penalty, diving between two tacklers, with just enough momentum to get the ball to turf – try. Fisch converted the score: 7-7. At the 10-minute mark, hooker Lauren Ferridge finished a hands-out score and was back then returned to the try zone 15 minutes later. No. 8 Yeja Dunn, Cowdrey and Henrich followed with first-half tries, and with the fullback’s extras, Boston led 38-7 after 40 minutes.
Minutes into the second half, Tempest sent a goal-line dropkick into the waiting arms of Boston. The ball moved to Caitlin Weigel, who aptly carved through the defense for the try, and then Henrich scored her third: 48-7. Tempest responded with a Brooke Walklate try (48-12), but the rest was all Boston.
Emma Santosuosso scored on a tip-pass from Cowdrey, who then followed with a second galloping try. The fullback ended the day with 16 points. Rachael Harkavy, who has been an exciting impact player, generated her own score, chipping over the defense and then running onto the bounce for the try and conversion. Boston takes a break for Week 4 and then resumes on April 19 with the rematch against the New York Exiles. Chicago will take its first road trip this Saturday and head to Denver.
Scorers after three week
The Bay Breakers held their home opener in Lodi, Calif., and treated fans to a 66-12 win against visiting TC Gemini. The action started quickly, when flanker Isabel Berazeta broke through the line, connected with wing Laura Thacker, who then found Bulou Mataitoga for the first of the fullback’s three tries on the day. Flyhalf-then-center Alev Kelter kicked the first of three conversions.
Approximately 12 minutes passed before a 30-meter-juking Mataitoga was back in the try zone, and then Gemini was rewarded for some good time on attack. After a not-10 penalty and lineout, the Twin Cities send a pick-and-drive over the line, with Trina Nunes doing the honors, 14-5.
Mona Tupou / Photo: Jackie Finlan, The Rugby Breakdown
Crucially, Bay answered right away. After a couple of kick exchanges, the Breakers made ground through an off-loading game through the middle, with Mona Tupou thundering through for the team’s third try, 21-5. The bonus-point try came right at halftime. After a lineout infraction, Bay used the penalty advantage and put Paris Hart over the line, 26-5 into the break.
An intercept try from Jade McGrath was converted by Kat Clark, who took over second-half kicking duties and contributed 10 points off the tee. Clark was at the genesis of the following score, well positioned for the Serena Liu offload and intercept, which built to an Abby Vogel dive-over try. Impact sub Roz Okpara went big off the back of the scrum, just powering through would-be tacklers for a try, followed by Mataitoga and Berazueta with five points apiece.
Gemini kept hustling, and Kailynn Hampton pounced on a loose pass just in front of the Bay’s try line. The wing scampered into the corner for the try and sub Bianca Curtis nailed the sideline conversion, 59-12. But the home side had the final say, sending flanker Tanya Wasserman away for the final try, which Clark converted: 66-12.
Kailynn Hampton / Photo: Jackie Finlan, The Rugby Breakdown
Bay hits the road this weekend for its second road trip, this time to New York this Sunday. Gemini has been on the road for the first three weeks and now has a chance to de-load and restart at home on April 26.
Denver and New York were nose and nose for the opening 10 minutes. The Onyx’s Saher Hamdan dotted down the first of two tries off the back of a lineout maul, and then wing Scout Cheeks responded with a try for New York. McKenzie Hawkisn (Denver) and Jetta Owens (New York) added the conversions and the teams were tied 7-all.
Erica Coulibaly then scored back-to-back tries for the home side, the second of which began with a Rachel Ehrecke break and was extended with a Maya Learned offload. by pure speed. Hawkins converted both, as well as Ina Bailey’s dive-over try: 26-7. New York did well to hold off the next try with a long defensive stand, but Hamdan did well to sneak through the tight weave of mauling bodies to dot down the final try of the half: 31-7.
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The Onyx didn’t ease up in the second 40. Hallie Taufo’ou scored right away, and then Sheila Decker was well positioned for a ball lost forward in the tackle. The tight five charged forward, offload to Monique Coffey, who pulled away from the trailing defense for the score.
Tahlia Brody and Taufo’ou connected in the open field, and the recycle moved to Bailey, who kept her feet through the first line of defense and then cut back for the try. Decker put another forward try on the board, and then a hard charge on the sideline from Coffey set up reserve Kennedy Feasby for the dive-over try. Hawkins ended the day with seven tries in the 62-7 win.
Denver plays its third-straight home game this Saturday against Chicago, while New York hosts the Bay in Mount Vernon.