The Women’s Premier League (WPL) opened its 11th season and did not delay in bringing the drama. The competition only intensifies this weekend as reigning National Champion San Diego and New York activate in West and East conferences, respectively.The Life West vs Glendale game garnered much attention, as the Gladiatrix traveled to Colorado for its official debut in the WPL. The team traveled well, bringing mostly Life West veterans, some noteworthy additions, and loads to prove.“Coming off the back of an indifferent 7s season there was a lot of anxiety,” Life West head coach Adriaan Ferris said of the 4th-place finish at 7s nationals and its effect. “We worked on a few things in terms of team dynamics but also realized that this is 15s and we had experienced players like Hope Rogers and Catie Benson in the mix, and that brings up confidence.”On Saturday, Life West turned to its defense group, led by Elizabeth Cairns, to push the pace and meet the Merlins behind their gain line. Solid set pieces and an emboldened tight five kept that momentum flowing, allowing for that wide-open attack to flourish. Captain Nikki Kenyon was at the center of it all at scrumhalf, and newly minted flyhalf Sara Parsons, typically found in the loose forwards, was the attack general.“We’re working on a few different things,” Ferris said of players in different positions. “Annakaren Pedraza is here next week and we’re excited for that. We’ll have to look at 9 and 10 going forward. My role, or all of the coaches’ role, at the WPL level is to develop players to push for higher honors. A player like Nikki Kenyon, who had a superb game, will broaden her appeal as a player if she can play a different position like 10. In 2021, when you’re naming a 31-player roster for the World Cup, you’ll need players who have the ability to play different positions. Hopefully we catch Rob Cain’s eye with what we’re doing here.”The Gladiatrix scored four tries to the Merlins’ two in the first half for a 24-14 lead, and then tacked on two more within 10 minutes of the second-half restart, 36-14. The teams added one more score apiece, and the visitors claimed their bonus-point win. Ferris named Cairns as forwards MVP for her work in the breakdown, and fullback Leti Hingano as backs MVP for her decisive inserts – made possible by stellar set-ups from Amy Naber Bonte – and power in contact.
WATCH GLENDALE VS LIFE WEST REPLAY
But there was spotlight to be shared. Chicago North Shore had been displaced from the West Conference when NorCal’s Life West joined the league, and on Sunday debuted in the East Conference. The Midwesterners went winless during the regular season last year, and opened against last year’s East runner-up, Twin Cities.Chicago North Shore, now in its third year of the WPL, is a better team, not only for its core of returning players and second-year head coach Parisa Asgharzadeh, but also the influence of John Coumbe-Lilley’s structured, successful 7s season. On game day, the team focused on maintaining possession and blitz defense, and after an adjustment period, the tactics paid off.“We couldn’t finish [scoring opportunities] in the beginning and so at halftime we gathered ourselves and talked about how we can have cohesion and secure possession,” Asgharzadeh said. “We had to stay calm when we had possession and trust that we’d eventually get across the line.”North Shore put down 31 consecutive points through try-scorers Charli Jacoby, flanker-turned-wing Olga Niyibizi, Bridget Kapinus, Jess Ventrillo and Rose DiBalsamo. Kathleen Stanley kicked three conversions, and then Twin cities answered with the final two tries of the game: 31-10.“It was a great way to start the season,” Asgharzadeh said. “I talked to the assistant coaches and captains afterward and was really clear that, because we have this win and are feeling good, we have to be careful with that energy and channel it in a useful way. This is the beginning of a really hard season and we want to build from this win knowing that we’ll get better.”WATCH CHICAGO vs TWIN CITIES
The closest game occurred between Beantown and Atlanta. The Harlequins traveled with 19 and were missing players to the NDIT and injury recovery, but put in a positive performance despite those circumstances. Beantown rushed to action and spent the first quarter working three tries through through Amanda Schweitzer, who moved from the pack to the centers; a driving lineout and touchdown from Yeja Dunn, whose break helped set up the first score; and Kat Phelan, who took a nice line and offload from Schweitzer. Tatjana Toeldte added the extras for a 17-0 lead, and Beantown tacked on two more tries (Brittany Dykes, Rosanna Wright) early in the second half.“They came out of the gate really well and did such a good job of building pressure,” said Beantown head coach Tadhg Leader, who has been on the ground for a week now. “We had three penalties in the first half and I think Atlanta had nine because they were under such stress at the breakdown. We had massive territory and they did a great job of identifying space and executing.”Atlanta really started to answer around the 50-minute mark, when No. 8 Cortney Kuehl scored her second try, and then Raleigh transfer Lisa Jackson followed suit. Corinne Heavner’s conversions and penalty kick made it 27-22 with the whole fourth quarter to play, but a second Schweitzer try put the game out of reach: 32-22 to Beantown.WATCH BEANTOWN VS ATLANTA REPLAY
Berkeley put up the biggest point differential of the weekend, defeating ORSU 29-5 in San Francisco, but the game didn’t break open until the second half. The Jesters did a great job minimizing the damage of big breakaways by swarming the contact area and poaching possession, but the All Blues did well to keep the game in ORSU’s end.Scrumhalf Shelby Lin did a great job managing the game and box-kicking to relieve pressure, and No. 8 Kedra Davis led in the way of oppressive defense – which nearly came away with the shutout if it wasn’t for Brett Zimmerman’s try in minute 75. On offense, the All Blues ball-carriers did well to commit multiple defenders to the tackle and then swing the ball wide for finishers like Serena Liu, Maggie Simpson and debutant Laura Thacker, who scored three tries.“We’re happy to have the bye next week because we’re still readjusting from 7s and trying to learn a system with a new coach and all that stuff,” Lin said. “I think we really wanted to get the win and the bonus point today and to really get everyone excited about working hard in the next couple weeks.”WATCH BERKELEY VS ORSU REPLAY
WEEK 1 RESULTS
West Conference
Life West 43-21 Glendale
Berkeley 29-5 ORSU
East Conference
Chicago North Shore 31-10 Twin Cities
Beantown 32-22 Atlanta
WEEK 2 MATCHES
Saturday, August 24
ORSU @ Life West - 1:00PM PT
Glendale @ San Diego - 1:00PM PT
New York @ Atlanta - 4:00PM ET
Sunday, August 25
Twin Cities @ Beantown - 11:00AM ET
