This past weekend saw a special guest team make an appreance in the women's bracket at Palo Alto, Ca. The Mexico Women's National 7s squad made a trip up for the weekend to test their skills against some foreign competition.

Mexico did well, beating a young Berkeley All-Blues 15-12 on a last-minute try, and East Palo Alto 24-5. Their run for an undefeated day ended, though, against the Pacific Coast Grizzlies.

Mexico opted to kick to the Grizzlies first to start off the game and the Pacific Coast wasted no time working the ball wide to speedster Victoria Folayan (Berkeley All-Blues) who turned the edge and dotted down for an opening minute try. The Grizzlies saw the next two tries come from Nathalie Marchino (Berkeley All-Blues); the first was a daring attack run through the middle of Mexico defense and the second a pick-and-go around the fringes of a sleeping Mexico breakdown.

Both tries were converted by Jillian Whitfield (Berkeley All-Blues). The half ended with a textbook pullout by Marchino that saw the ball passed the width of the field to Folayan, who stepped her defender and zipped in for a try. Whitfield again converted the try. 26-0 

The second half began the way the first ended, as Grizzly Kelly Griffin took the kickoff, attacked upfield with Phoebe Boone (Berkeley) in support. Boone, recognizing that the Mexican defenders had over committed, ran a scissor line that set her free for the try, which Sarah Davis (Berkeley All-Blues) converted.The Grizzlies began to turn up the defensive pressure, forcing Mexico into hurried passes, one of which was picked off by Marchino that sent her rumbling downfield. The Mexican sweeper played the break away run perfectly tackling Marchino 10m from the goal line but newcomer Jackie Lewis was right there in support for the pop off the ground and the support try.

Davis again made the conversion from a hard angle on the outside. With time running down the The Pac Coast put in two more tries one from Boone and anther from Lewis that saw her put a wicked step and go move on her defender. Davis ended the game with a conversion kick that left the final score at 52-0.

Individual standouts were San Juanita Moreno (ORSU) who contested and won over half the defensive breakdowns in the first half and captain Irene Gardner (Berkeley All-Blues) who distribution and leadership saw the Pac Coast Grizzlies play a complete game. The 7s All-stars will be in action next in Chula Vista, Ca for the 7s NASC event August 16-18.

This was a big move for Mexico, which also sent a men's team to the Palto Alto 7s. In the men's bracket, Mexico did well, beating the Olympic Club and East Palo Alto Razorbacks, but losing 5-0 to the EPA Bulldogs and then 17-7 to Mexico in their fourth match.