|
(Surfers, pictured in dark blue scrumming against Sacramento, Dina Marie Gica photo, had something to prove.)
By Alex Goff
The final four teams in the women's DI club competition are decided as NOVA, San Diego, Atlanta and Seattle all won quarterfinal matches Sunday in Acton, Mass.
All four winners were teams that earned byes to the quarterfinals, meaning they did not have to play first-round matches on Saturday.
"It certainly wasn't a disadvantage," said San Diego president Kristin Hartos.
San Diego hammered Atlanta 39-0 a day after the Harlequins had to battle to win 7-5 over Belmont Shore. Casey Fields sparked the Surfers with two early tries and the Southern California team never looked back.
"It was as much of a complete team effort as we've had all season.," said Hartos.
Another West Coast team won as well, as Seattle put a stranglehold on Glendale, winning 20-3.
"They clearly wanted to spin the ball and we wanted to as well," said Seattle coach Tony Maphosa. "But we decided to go with our original game plan of smash it up, smash it up, and then send it wide. It worked well."
 With Rose Baker leading the way for the Breakers, Seattle broke down the Raptors with tough forward play, used their maul to devastating effect, and pinned Glendale in their own end for the victory.
"I am very proud of the team, they have worked very hard to get here," said Maphosa. "They deserve it."
Also winners were Atlanta, who rode the accurate and intelligent kicking of Heather Hale to a 17-5 victory over Philadelphia, and NOVA, which downed Boston 15-5.
All in all, the teams that earned byes scored 91 and gave up 13.
It was also somewhat a vindication for the West Coast teams, which had felt their nine-team league was more demanding than others in the country thought. Seattle and San Diego are in the semifinals, and the two teams that lost on Saturday, NorCal and Belmont Shore, both won.
"I am proud that we went 4-0 as a league today," said Hartos. "I am especially proud for the Surfers. Being from Southern California, which is a region that is consistently overlooked and underrated, I think we showed something."
San Diego faces Atlanta November 7 in the national semifinals
Seattle will take on NOVA
|