All of the higher-ranked teams won their respective Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) games in round seven, all they accomplished that feat on the road. But every squad, even those that ended up losing by larger margins, put periods of solid rugby onto the pitch. Denver remains undefeated after its road trip to Boston. New York is back to .500, and TC Gemini earned two bonus points in its close loss to the visiting Exiles. And Chicago scored the first try against the visiting Bay Breakers, which then responded with seven-straight tries. [lead photo: Mike Conners @mikeconnersphoto23]
RELATED: WER Point-Scorers
The closest game of the weekend occurred in Twin Cities, but it didn’t feel that way through the first half of the game. New York built a 24-0 lead after 32 minutes, banking tries from the crafty Gabby Pennino, hard-charging Pooki A’au, finisher Chloe Correia and elusive Sophie Frick. Jetta Owens kicked two conversions.
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But then right before the break, the home side went quickly from a pair of penalties to get New York hustling backward. Trinity Todd lined up the defense and hit Brogan Mior off the shoulder. Gio Cruz wrapped up the influential flyhalf, who then offloaded to fullback Sam Black-Keels back inside for the try. Mior added the extras for the 24-7 scoreline into the break.
Gemini kept pushing and were rewarded with scores through wing Ciara Clawson — a try that built off an Abbey Jacobs poach and Natayah Bauer break-through; and Mior, who stepped against a sliding defense inside the 10 meter. Tighthead prop Bauer converted both tries, one of which was five meters off the sideline. After 62 minutes, it was 24-21 to New York.
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New York applied some pressure after a Mior clearance kick from the goal line, high-tackle penalty, and 10-meter driving lineup. A crucial yellow card for a dangerous tackle gave the Exiles a little oomph, and Misha Green-Yotts scored quickly afterward. Five minutes later, a Frick line-break got the team inside the 10 meter, and then reserve scrumhalf Sarah Minahan sent a skip pass to Veronica Blair for the wing’s first professional try, 34-21.
The home side had the final say, however, as reserve center Bianca Curtis palmed off the defense and powered over for the game’s final try, 34-28 with Bauer’s conversion.
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In nearby Chicago, the Tempest hosted the Bay Breakers and delighted fans by controlling the opening eight-or-so minutes. Big carries from Kate Buzby got the team moving forward, and then a misplayed kick from Brooke Walkate put the team in scoring position. Flanker Ubaida Ahmed had a go toward the line and then popped to her feet, only to find no one covering the tackle. Ahmed sped toward the try zone and beat three defenders coming across for the score. Emma Farnan converted, 7-0.
Within the next 10 minutes, however, the Bay overturned the lead. Power props Elena Edwards and Celine Liulamaga both scored from short range, but only after team-wide campaigns to march the ball downfield. Olivia Bernadel-Huey converted for the 12-7 lead. At minute 32, scrumhalf Shelby Lin dragged off the ruck and hit Naomi Carrillo on the switch back inside. The fullback swerved around the final defender, planted the palm and scored. With Bernadel-Huey’s conversion, the Breakers led 19-7 into the break.
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The visitors put down another four tries in the third quarter. Sierra Watkins was prevalent in the build to the minute-44 score, and Paris Hart made the final pierce across the whitewash. Ten minutes later, the Bay did well to pressure in attacking territory, blocking an attempted clearance kick and drawing an eventual yellow card. Mona Tupou scored from a pick and drive, 29-7. Replacement scrumhalf Aimee Ramos pulled the same drag-and-pop move off the ruck that Lin had employed with Carrillo. This time it was replacement flanker Cassie Tong who burst through a slowly adjusting defense for the centered score. Kristen Siano converted for the 37-7 lead. Siano then fed Aly Namosimalua on a line back inside, and it was just a clear channel to the try line, 41-7, after 62 minutes.
Chicago kept plugging away, and when the pieces fit together on attack, and Tempest played with flair. Farnan placed a penalty kick to side the Bay’s 15 meter, and then a solid lineout worked to Walklate. The flyhalf hit Erika Farias just slicing through the line and the win connected with outside center Isla Alejandro for the score, 41-12.
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Siano powered through three defenders to restore to the point differential with a try, and then Australia/USA dual citizen Ellie Reiter responded with a heads-up play. From an attacking lineout, Bay jumper Tong got her hands on the ball and Reiter had to wrestle it free. As the lock spun around, no one was between her and the try line, and so she took off for five points, 46-17.
The Bay incurred a yellow card with time ticking away, but still managed to score. A Siano kick-through and failed clearance put the Breakers in good territory. It was a little choppy, but a good Tupou crash and then overhead pass to Siano allowed the flyhalf to pin the defense and feed Watkins on the sideline for the try, 51-17.
Recently capped Ina Bailey / Photo: Mike Conners @mikeconnersphoto23
The Denver vs. Boston match occurred at Tidewater Landing in Pawtucket, R.I. Thirteen minutes in, after phases at the line, Onyx scrumhalf Carly Waters shot a skip pass across to KB Slaughter on the sideline. The wing handled the ball expertly and dove into the corner, 5-0.
Five minutes later, it looked like a scoring opportunity had gone awry when a penalty kick didn’t reach touch. But Onyx played Boston’s return kick well, working the ball wide to wing Monique Coffey for the score. The Banshee defense did well to fend off what felt like a sure Onyx try as the first half culminated — 10-0 into the break.
Denver kicked off the second half and Slaughter got over the tackle for a not-releasing penalty. The kick got to inside the Boston 10 meter, and the driving lineout walked across the try line with hooker Gianna Solomon at the back.
Monique Coffey / Photo: Mike Conners @mikeconnersphoto23
At minute 48, Onyx was back inside the Boston 22, and after some phases at the line, a nice flat pass put the hard-running Kiana Lally on a line to the try zone. In the final 10 minutes of the match, reserve Alessandra Bender Cruz fielded a bullet of a clearance kick and then quickly attacked with Tahna Wilfley in the wings. The Mexico national team player hit the 18-year-old just flying on for the corner score, 25-0.
With the game winding down, the home side prevented the shutout as reserve Jenni Laferriere forced her way across the line from in close, 25-7 with Amanda Schweitzer’s conversion. Banshee loose forward Yeja Dunn still leads the league with six tries, and Denver flyhalf McKenzie Hawkins, currently on duty with the USA, also has 30 points on 15 conversions.
Updated after Week 7; click graphic for full list