Two league games marked week four of Women’s Elite Rugby (WER), and both the victors banked bonus-point wins. The Bay Breakers (2-1) traveled to New York to play the Exiles (1-3) in Mt. Vernon, and then returned home to California with a 39-19 win. The Denver Onyx (3-0) played its third-straight game inside Infinity Park and pinned down the Chicago Tempest (0-4) in a 76-7 contest. [lead photo: David Hughes @davidhughesphoto]
RELATED: Current Standings
The WER weekend began on Saturday with the first meeting of the Breakers and Exiles. The teams probed each other for weakness during the first 15 minutes, and then New York wing Chloe Correia picked off a flat pass for a long return and opening try. The hosts enjoyed that lead for the next 12 minutes, until Roxelle Thomas went on a thumping line-break and Evan Hoese did well to keep a wild pass in play. A short pass to wing Aly Namosimalua score in the corner, 5-all.
With halftime approaching, a loose ball at midfield ended up in the Bay’s possession. The ball quickly moved to Kristen Siano, who sent a perfectly weighted grubber to the try line. New York flanker Gio Cruz and Bay center Jade McGrath were on the chase and arrived at the try zone and ball simultaneously. Cruz tackled McGrath and was yellow-carded for not playing the ball, and a penalty try followed, 12-5.
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In the first 10 minutes of the second half, the Bay put down three tries. A loose ball moved quickly to Namosimalua, who smartly paced her sprint with Mona Tupou in support. The wing successfully pinned the defender to take advantage of the 2-v-1, and then Tupou outran Correia for the long try, 17-5.
Tupou was instrumental to the next score, too, tackling Jetta Owens behind the gainline and forcing New York to hustle to get onside. The realignment didn’t happen fast enough though and Hope Cooper picked off Owen’s pop from the ground. The hooker then shook off the cover defense for the centered try, which inside center Kat Clark converted, 24-5.
New York was then back to full strength but the Bay had already found its flow. A 10-meter lineout saw forward phases at the line and then tight-five reserve Paris Hart crossing the whitewash. At the 57-minute mark, a little scoot off the ruck between scrumhalf Shelby Lin and Isabela Berazueta put the flanker into open space. The Mexico National Team player then weaved through 20 meters of defense before scoring, 34-5.
Bay flanker Isabel Berazueta / Photo: David Hughes
At the turn of the fourth quarter, New York got some reprieve. Celine Liulamaga was yellow-carded closed to the Bay try line, and a quick tap moved to flyhalf Nikki Richardson. The #10 sent a skip pass to reserve forward Jessie Ruiz, who flew through the gap for the try. Owens added the extras, 34-12.
But minutes later, the Bay added a momentum-squashing score. Attacking in New York’s 10 meter, Berazueta did a good job of cleaning up a dropped pass and feeding the onrushing McGrath on the sideline for the try, 39-12.
With a couple of minutes remaining in regulation, New York added a third try after a series of forward picks at the line. Reserve Gabby Pennino peeled off the ruck, spun off two defenders and dotted down between the posts. Owen converted for the 39-19 final.
The Bay is one of four teams off in Week 5, while New York will head to Boston on April 19.
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On Sunday, the Chicago Tempest and Denver Onyx played their first professional game against each other, but the day belonged to the home side. Flanker Tahlia Brody scored three tries and hooker Gianna Solomon dotted down twice. Kristin Bitter – who started at flyhalf and led an adventurous attack – kicked six conversions, while reserve Justine Perl added two in the second half.
The first three tries were methodical. Scrumhalf Carly Waters and flyhalf Bitter were a nice halfback pairing, and once the team got inside Chicago’s 22, they coordinated for very fast phases. Brody took a nice angle through the defense for the opening score, and then Solomon beat the try-line defense with a hard pierce. The hooker was back in the try zone after a well executed lineout on the 10 meter and then steady maul to the line: 19-0 after 10 minutes.
Four more tries occurred before the break, and they were all electric. Bitter relieved pressure with a superbly place clearance kick, which Adriana Mendoza Silva did track down and return. The ball didn’t find touch, but did trickle to Bitter, who quickly shipped the pill to fullback Tahna Wilfley. Those long, angry legs tore into a disjointed defense, and then just before contact, Wilfley hit her wing in support. Alessandra Bender Cruz sped through the offload for her first WER try, and Bitter hit the difficult conversion.
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Lock Hallie Taufo’ou was also in excellent support for a Bitter breakaway and finished the effort in the try zone. From a Chicago lineout near midfield, captain Rachel Johnson was in the perfect position to intercept an around-the-back offload. After three broken tackles, the No. 8 scored. And then Bitter blocked a Mendoza Silva chip-kick, gathered the ball and took off. MarCaya Bailous chased down the 10, but not before an offload found vice captain Julie Tordonato in support. The center scored the team’s seventh try of the day: 43-0 at the break.
Three more Onyx tries followed before the Tempest answered on the scoreboard. A big Solomon linebreak led to phases at the line and a Rachel Ehrecke dive-over. Brody scored a breakaway try, and then at minute 55, Kennedy Feasby finished off a nice passing series along the sideline for five points. Perl took over kicking duties at this point, and Denver led 64-0 with 25 minutes to play.
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As the fourth quarter approached, Chicago worked a solid scrum ball out to the backs and Erika Farias split the centers. The Oregon transplant connected with fullback Isla Alejandro in support for the try. Wing Nicole Fisch added the conversion for the 64-7 scoreline.
Denver had the gas for two more tries. Brody took a wide pass off the ruck for a centered try that Perl converted, and then WER debutant Jeanna Beard scored after a leg-pumping charge from KB Broughton on the wing.
McKenzie Hawkins still leads the league in points scored, all of which were off the tee. Brody jumped into the top-five after her hat trick on Sunday. For the full list of scorers, click here.
To see the full list, click here.
Week 5 overlaps with the Easter holiday and the only league match has been scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. EDT: New York Exiles (1-3) at Boston Banshees (3-0).