Defending national champion San Diego (1-1) began its Women's Premier League (WPL) season with a 12-point loss to Glendale at home, and on Saturday traveled to ORSU (0-3) with redemption on the mind. “We were disappointed with our last performance so we were determined to make amends,” San Diego head coach Jarrod Faul explained. “Traveling with a light squad, particularly in the front row, our focus was to play with a higher tempo and be more patient with the ball in hand, let our phases develop and attack space when the opportunities were presented.”
The forwards did a good job of setting a solid attacking platform, as strong carries from players like prop Jamila Reinhardt, and flankers Laura Easterling and Kate Zackary, got the game moving forward. Flyhalf Hunter Griendling did a superb job of managing the game and launched a back line that played with more fluidity. San Diego took a 24-point lead through Griendling, Easterling and No. 8 Evi Ashenbrucker. Megan Foster kicked all three conversions and added a penalty before ORSU flanker Anna Symonds scored for the home side and Emma Richie converted. But that was the end of the scoring for the Jesters, and the visitors added tries from wing Tiffany Tate, Easterling and two from Zackary. Foster ended the day with five conversions overall for the 48-7 win.
“Whilst we were happier with our shape on both sides of the ball, we are far from satisfied,” Faul summarized. “It was a much improved performance but we know we are going to have to be much better with a massive assignment in Life West ahead of us this weekend. Life West have been the benchmark team so far, so we are very enthusiastic about the challenge ahead.”
WATCH SAN DIEGO VS ORSU REPLAY
The Gladiatrix improved to 3-0 in the West Conference after a 36-20 win over Bay Area relative Berkeley (1-1). Initially it looked like Saturday’s match was going to be a run-away, as the Gladiatrix put down three tries in fewer than three minutes. The first came after a perfectly executed crossfield kick from Sara Parsons to Amy Naber Bonte running on. Hope Rogers and Naber Bonte added to the try total, and wing Karmin Macedo kicked two conversions for the 19-0 lead.
“In the very beginning we hit our stride, but the All Blues are a very resilient team. They always come back. They always have a lot to give and they gas-out regardless,” Life West captain Nikki Kenyon said. “We knew that they had a lot of really good strike runners and that puts a lot of pressure on us defensively. That’s something we have to work on: getting in our alignment a lot quicker and just adjusting to the speed of the game.”
The second half of the first 40 belonged to Berkeley, which rallied with three-straight scores. Ceara Lafferty plucked the ball out of a Life West ruck and moved it to wing Laura Thacker, who added two of the three first-half tries. Katy Augustyn dove for the line after a driving lineout, and flanker Tonya Wessman crossed on the second drive attempt, leading 19-15 into the break.
The teams stayed within a try of each other through the 70th minute, as Catie Benson and Christina Ramos scored for their sides (24-20). Life West fullback Leti Hingano gathered a Kristen Siano clearance kick and somehow emerged through a thicket of defenders still on her feet. Hingano finished off the 50 meters to the try line, and then the Gladiatrix added an insurance try through Tiara Littleton. Hali Deters kicked the final conversion for the win.
WATCH LIFE WEST VS BERKELEY REPLAY
In the East Conference, Atlanta (2-1) celebrated its first-ever win against Twin Cities (1-2) in Minnesota, and New York (1-1) got its first win of the season, defeating Chicago North Shore (1-1) on Randall’s Island. The Harlequins traveled to the Midwest with only 17 players and no forward subs, and there was concern about lasting 80 minutes against a very physical team. The first half went relatively well for the visitors, who scored two tries through lock Lisa Jackson and a third from wing Meredith Nelson, who later moved to, and excelled at, scrumhalf. Flyhalf Corinne Heavner added two conversions. Twin Cities put wing Kaelene Lundstrum away for two tries and had only trailed 19-10 at half.
“Overall I was very impressed with our ability to pass under pressure and offload, but when we got in that physical challenge, the Amazons were able to turn over our ball,” Chou said. “At halftime we talked about moving the ball away from the breakdown as quickly as possible, because [they] are so good at counter-rucking and poaching.” Atlanta made those second-half adjustments as the team's fitness showed well. Two scores from wing Mo Compito and a Heavner conversion gave Atlanta some breathing room at 31-10 before the 50th minute.
“We were scoring off some turnover ball, but we were mainly just spreading the ball and creating space, and using that to exploit whatever opportunities we had to put points up,” Chou said. Twin Cities flyhalf Katana Howard and Lundstrum scored in the second half to clinch the bonus point, while Megan Wolff added the conversion. Jackson and Caitlane Fricia also scored for Atlanta to cap a 45-22 win.
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New York and Chicago North Shore met on Sunday, and the visitors took an early lead through flanker Kadie Sanford. New York evened up the score at the 20-minute mark, courtesy of a Jennifer Salomon try, and Gianna Solomon’s conversion which afforded a lead that the home side would not relinquish the remainder of the match. No. 8 Chloe Jex scored quickly afterward and Solomon kicked the extras, and there the game stood through the remainder of the half, 14-5.
North Shore had an opportunity to build some momentum when New York incurred a yellow card, but instead, the home side sent Siobhan Coady into the try zone, for the Molloy College grad’s first WPL points. Solomon’s third conversion provided the 21-5 lead, which built out to 31-5 after tries from Sarah Levy and Tess Feury.
WATCH NEW YORK VS CHICAGO REPLAY
WEEK 3 RESULTS
East Conference
Atlanta 45 - 22 Twin Cities
New York 31 - 5 Chicago
West Conference
Life West 36 - 20 Berkeley
San Diego 48 - 7 ORSU
WEEK 4 MATCHES
Saturday, September 7th
Glendale (1-1) @ Berkeley (1-1) - 12:00PM PDT
Life West (3-0) @ San Diego (1-1) - 3:00PM PDT
Sunday, September 8th
Beantown (1-1) @ Chicago (1-1) - 12:00PM CDT
New York (1-1) @ Twin Cities (1-2) - 12:00PM CDT
Week 4 Byes
ORSU (0-3) & Atlanta Harlequins (2-1)
