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Day 4 Recap: Sunday, Nov. 1
2009 UPA Club Championships
Sarasota, Fla.
Women’s Division
By Jessica Sipperley
Championship Game
Fury 15, Brute Squad 3
Over the course of four days, the teams in the women's division had pushed their bodies and minds to their limits, all gunning for a spot in the finals match. But in the end there were only two survivors– defending champion Fury, from the Bay Area in California, and Boston-based Brute Squad. The teams had only met once before the weekend, with Fury pulling out a 16-15 victory at the Emerald City Classic in August. And Fury also was victorious in the power-pool match on Friday, 15-10. But the regular season was over; today, all the players were focused only on the title. As both teams called their starting lines and took the field, it was time to see which one would outlast the other.
Fury started out the game on offense, meeting Brute Squad's man defense. After a few crisp passes, Fury executed their offensive flow perfectly, and Alicia White found Manu Argilli on the break side with a huge backhand to get on the scoreboard first, 1-0 Fury.
Brute Squad's Shelly Peyton received the disc to start the next drive. A huge put from Brute Squad's Rana Kannan flew past Fury's Alex Snyder, but didn't connect to Dominique Fontenette mid-bid. Brute Squad threw a zone to stifle Fury's handler flow, but this strategy was ineffective against Alex Snyder and Manu Argilli. Brute Squad fell back into man defense, but a few Fury swings back and forth stretched their defense, and Lakshmi Narayan pulled down a forehand bender in the back corner of the end zone, 2-0 Fury.
On the next drive, Dory Ziperstein's pass upfield to co-captain Peri Kurshan was off-target and eaten up by the Fury defense. Fury's Alex Snyder didn’t waste any time, tossing a bender backhand to Lakshmi Narayan all alone to convert the turnover, 3-0 Fury.
Finding themselves down by three points, Brute Squad took their first timeout to regroup. They caught a break when Fury's pull sailed out of bounds, placing their offense near midfield. Brute Squad's Vivian Zayas and Amber Sinicrope worked it upfield, but Shelly Peyton was unable to get the swing off, and her high-release backhand was knocked down in the end zone. The Fury offense marched back the other way, and got off a series of break throws as Brute Squad's defense backed up and tried to catch up in transition. A bender backhand looked like it wasn't going to curve back in-bounds, but Alicia White scooped the disc up from ankle height while simultaneously toeing the line, leading to a celebration from the Fury sideline, 4-0 Fury.
Coming out on defense, Fury threw a four-man cup, pushing Brute Squad's handlers right along the line. Amber Sinicrope found a hole with an impressive pass low, but Brute Squad's offense stalled soon afterward. A hammer throw from Vivian Zayas faded away from Kurshan and into a Fury defender, and Julie Baker caught the swing pass for the easy score. 5-0 Fury.
Shelly Peyton inspired new life in the offensive rush, getting off several break throws. One inverse forehand skipped up in the wind, but Sara Jacobi leapt up and caught the disc one-handed, toeing the line and keeping the drive alive. A forehand bender intended for Jacobi didn't get enough distance, and an interception put Fury on offense again. Fury strung together several passes, highlighted by a pass from Lauren Casey to Jody Dozono, who notched the point with a few stutter steps to stay in-bounds. 6-0 Fury.
On the next rush, Brute Squad's Vivian Zayas touched the disc every two or three passes as Brute moved past midfield. But a pick call stalled the rush, and Rana Kannan's high-release backhand was handblocked by Alicia White. Fury's possession resulted in a rare turnover, but Brute Squad squandered the chance with a huck that sailed too far. Two bender backhand throws, including one that flew out of bounds over several spectators and came back in, put Fury back in the end zone for a 7-0 lead off a score by Alicia White.
Brute Squad came out firing, with Stephanie Barker leading the offense with in-cuts and Dory Ziperstein threading the needle from the handler position. Each team exchanged turnovers, and deep in the Brute Squad end, Fury's Alex Snyder scooped up a pass intended for a Brute Squad handler, but she couldn't convert on the end zone line, tossing a high-release throw out of bounds. Brute Squad strung together several strike looks, but Barker's pass sailed just past Rohre Titcomb. A layout “D” gave new life to Brute Squad, and their offense started out in great position.
Although the swing pass fell flat, Titcomb blazed through with a defensive bid to save the disc. Brute Squad played much more intense defense with halftime on the line, highlighted by Betsy Calkins' monster handblock on Alex Snyder. Brute Squad's Shelly Peyton found Titcomb in the end zone, but she dropped the wide-open pass.
Once again, Brute Squad was given a chance to score with a Fury drop on the handler line. But Brute called a timeout without any timeouts in the bank, and this costly miscommunication caused them to lose possession. Fury's Georgia Bosscher threw an incredible huck to Lakshmi Narayan, who grabbed the score with a one-handed bid past a huge defensive layout by Rohre Titcomb, 8-0 Fury at halftime.
During halftime, Brute Squad spent time tossing and staying loose, while Fury huddled under umbrellas and shade on the sideline. The inspired play right before halftime displayed the tenacity and heart that got Brute Squad to the finals, but an 8-0 hole against an experienced and skilled team like Fury would be incredibly difficult to overcome. But Brute Squad certainly had time, after a half that took only about 30 minutes.
Brute Squad began the second half on offense, and Fury was called for offsides. Rana Kannan got open with a sweet juke and helped push the disc upfield, but with no open looks on the open side, Chrissy Dobson's swing attempt fell flat. A huck intended for Fury's Manisha Daryani gave the disc back to Brute Squad. Brute Squad pushed past their Fury defenders in the lane, but ran out of room at about midfield. On the other end, Manisha Daryani missed another layout in scoring territory.
Brute Squad's offense was finally able to work it around with a big break throw from Vivian Zayas, but the disc came back on a stall call. Her backhand throw at a high count was “D'ed” amid a group of people, but a foul call within the crowd sent the disc back one more time. Brute Squad's handlers were able to get in sync with smooth flow for a few minutes, but a Zayas huck intended for Dominique Fontenette didn't connect. After a few passes, Fury's Lakshmi Narayan chased down a huck, keeping an eye on the back end zone line the whole way. She was able to toe the line and fall forward, keeping possession right in front of the observer to get the point, 9-0 Fury.
The next point ended much more quickly, but with the same result, as Alicia White toed the line and stretched for the one-handed grab to bring down Alicia Barr's pass, bringing Fury five points away from their fourth consecutive championship title, 10-0 Fury.
The handlers for Brute Squad showed their characteristic calm on the next point. Brute Squad's Stephanie Barker fed Shelly Peyton cutting upline, who was able to snag the disc despite a defensive tip from Fury. And Peyton found Lisa Kanner on a forehand bender for Brute's first score of the game, leading to a celebration from the Brute Squad sideline and many spectators, 10-1 Fury.
The O-line for Fury took the field for just the second time, and Fury's Georgia Bosscher quickly released a huck downfield. The disc faded in the wind but was no problem for Cree Howard, as she read it past her bidding defender to bring in the score, 11-1 Fury.
Fury started out in a three-man cup on defense, but transitioned to man. The calm swing passes by Brute's handlers put them within striking distance again. Shelly Peyton tried to jam the disc into a very small space, and her bidding receiver couldn't come up with it right along the sideline. Fury's offense came at Brute Squad at an alarming pace, and Vivian Zayas had a bid to knock the disc away from Fury's Liz Penny right along the end zone line, staving off a possible score. Penny's foul call, though contested by Zayas, was upheld by the observers. Fury kept up their impressive swings to the break side, and Arlie Stern fed Liz Penny with a crisp inverse forehand in the end zone. 12-1 Fury.
Brute Squad's cutters utilized the poach defense of some Fury players, finding lots of space on the open side. Brute Squad's Vivian Zayas wasted no time, releasing a forehand huck to Lauren Childs, who outran her defender and bid for the catch and the point, 12-2 Fury.
On the next point, tight man defense from Brute Squad temporarily stopped the Fury's offensive flow, but Fury's entire backfield countered with several break throws. This patience on offense paid off, and Georgia Bosscher's crossfield forehand floated just over a bidding Rohre Titcomb and into Cree Howard's hands, 13-2 Fury.
As Brute Squad came out on offense, Rana Kannan and Lauren Childs kept up their cutting, and Childs jammed the disc upline to Dominique Fontenette, who held on to the disc with an aggressive run. But the open-side completions stopped right near the end zone line, as Zayas' forehand throw to Childs flew out of bounds. A rare drop in the Fury's handler line gave the disc to Brute Squad right on the end zone line. Zayas faked several times, wanting to hit an open-side cut, but Fury's Arlie Stern played great defense in the lane. Zayas was forced to go break side, and her backhand high-release was scooped up by Kathy Dobson, who slid for the catch and was quickly ruled in by the observer, 13-3 Fury.
On the next point, a fantastic break backhand from Georgia Bosscher pushed Fury's offense upfield. Lauren Casey snagged the disc in a strike cut, barely missing her Brute Squad defender and pushing Fury within one point of the title, 14-3 Fury.
With the game on the line, Brute Squad worked the disc in open spaces past Fury's man defense. Brute's Rana Kannan put up a throw to keep the flow going, but the disc was eaten up by wind. Alicia White's upfield toss failed to hit a receiver, and Brute Squad's Shelly Peyton pitched the disc to the end zone right away, but it sailed out the back of the end zone. Brute Squad came out in a tight three-man cup, but Fury's offense rapidly threaded the disc to open players. As Brute Squad dropped back into man defense to stop the rush, they couldn't adjust quickly enough to stop Fury's Alex Synder from feeding Alicia White. White stretched out her body for the one-handed catch, sealing the victory and Fury's fourth 2009 Club Championship title in a row, 15-3 Fury.
Day 3 Recap: Saturday, Oct. 31
2009 UPA Club Championships
Sarasota, Fla.
Women's Division
By Jessica Sipperley
The third day of play marked the beginning of the playoffs, with the top-eight teams all gunning for one of the coveted spots in the finals. A loss now would spell disaster and a trip down to a placement game; there wouldn't be a chance to advance with a loss. And with two days of difficult play wearing on bodies, team support and mental toughness would be key ingredients to moving on.
Quarterfinals
Capitals 15, Ozone 9
Ozone's defense set up in a zone at the start to stifle the Capitals' offensive flow. But this strategy didn't hamper the Capitals early on, as they took a 2-1 lead. The early points often stretched to several minutes, with both teams playing tough defense and trying to run the opposition hard. Capitals' Danielle Fortin and Ozone's Anna Bucher each rocked the backfield with offensive cutting, but discs bouncing off fingertips and errant passes created many turnover opportunities. Capitals were able to convert these turns more often, and co-captain Jenna McBride's score put Capitals at a 6-2 advantage. Ozone closed the gap slightly with scores from Bucher and Amanda Strout, and a few possessions later, co-captain Angela Lin saved the offensive drive, and eventually a point, with an impressive layout catch. But the Capitals offense propelled them to a halftime lead, 8-5.
Ozone vs. Capitals
Photo by Bil Elsinger
The Capitals pushed their lead to 10-6 in the second half, but a handblock from Angela Lin on the next point ignited the Ozone sideline. But their next scoring drive was negated with a call on the field and a throw into the ground. The teams traded turnovers until Capitals' Malissa Lundgren hit Kate Cavallaro in the end zone, but a travel call on Lundgren, upheld by the observer, cancelled out that score as well. Capitals were able to persevere and take the marathon point, 11-6, and eventually push their lead to 14-9. Ozone caught a break when a pass from Capitals' Fortin to Laurel Berkowitz on the end zone line was bobbled, and the Ozone offense worked the disc to midfield. But a bender forehand was too far for Katherine Wooten's bid. Although Ozone regained possession, they couldn't move their offense out of their own end. A Callahan catch for Capitals sealed the game, 15-9, and sent them on to the semifinals.
Brute Squad 15, Showdown 11
Right at the start, Brute Squad came out fired up on defense, throwing a cup zone and then changing to man, with a near interception from Amber Sinicrope in between. But Showdown matched the defensive pressure after an initial turnover, and they were able to get the disc back. A string of break passes, capped off by a connection between Sarah Blyth and Katey Forth, put Showdown on the scoreboard first. Showdown kept up the defensive pressure, particularly on the dump cuts from Brute Squad's handlers, and they displayed some break throw finesse of their own to tie the game, 2-2. Brute Squad's Vivian Zayas brought her team back from a deficit with a Callahan to tie the game again at 5-5. Showdown went up 6-5, but Brute Squad's Dominique Fontenette scooped up a hammer throw to put the disc back into her team's hands. The Brute Squad handlers moved the disc upfield with completions to the break side. Rohre Titcomb's inverse forehand break throw hit Betsy Calkins, who stretched out to get a one-handed score and put Brute up, 7-6. Brute tacked on another point to take half.
Brute vs. Showdown
Photo by Bil Elsinger
Momentum was with Brute Squad in the second half, as they built a 13-9 lead. Brute Squad earned the next point as well, helped by relentless cutting and a catch in the end zone by Lauren Childs. Showdown's defense staved off the end of the game, and the offense was able to work around Brute Squad's cup with blade throws from one side of the field to the other. Even with two more scores, Showdown couldn't quite come back, and Brute Squad wrapped up the game with a 15-11 score.
Fury 15, Zeitgeist 4
Before the game, Fury focused on smart match-ups on Zeitgeist's handlers, making sure to have strong marks and not letting off break throws, Fury co-captain Nancy Sun said. And while the offensive flow would come, the major focus was on defense, she said.
"We want to be stingy with what we take away and what we give," Sun said.
Fury came out with a business-like attitude that sent Zeitgeist reeling right away, down 5-1. Zeitgeist's handlers did find their footing against Fury's zone, working the disc through the cup with smaller resets and eventually finding the holes to gain more yards. Fury nixed a score attempt between Jamie Nuwer and A.J. Bowden, but Zeitgeist earned possession again to get the point and make the score 5-2. Fury's Alex Snyder was all over the next few possessions on both sides of the disc, ripping a huck to Georgia Bosscher, who then set up a point, and coming in for a two-handed grab in front of Zeitgeist's Cheryl Prideaux for a turnover. Fury's Manu Argilli scored two points in a row, and a dropped pull allowed Fury to easily get another point, taking half at 8-2.
The second half continued in the same fashion, with Fury's intense defense making trouble for Zeitgeist's flow and leading to more scoring chances. Georgia Bosscher pulled down another long disc to put Fury up 12-3, and Cree Howard grabbed the disc from mid-air to increase the lead to 13-3. Zeitgeist's Alina Kagan got off a great backhand huck to Jen Burney, who sprinted in behind Fury's defense for a score. At game point, Zeitgeist made a great defensive stand on Fury's end zone line, but Fury worked the disc in to get the point and the win, 15-4.
Riot 15, Backhoe 10
Riot jumped out to a 4-2 lead, but both teams were soon plagued with turnovers. Backhoe's smooth passes on offense led to a huck from Leila Tunnell, but Riot's Val Dion pulled the disc down in the end zone. Riot's next deep look sailed too far, but they forced Backhoe to turn it over upline with tight dump defense. But Riot followed up this excellent defense with a blade forehand throw that fell flat. A timeout call gave both teams a chance to regroup. Backhoe was able to capitalize, after Lindsey Hack caught the disc amid a crowd, passed it to Beth Stagner and watched Stagner set up a score to Nicole Chauvigne to close the gap to 4-3. The Riot defenders often stalled the Backhoe rush by clogging up the passing lanes, including a run-through interception by Kate Kingery that set up a Val Dion score and put Riot up, 6-3.
After taking half 8-5, Riot couldn't stop a Backhoe rush , started by a deep backhand put from Lindsey Hack to Liz Willetts that sailed over Riot's Liz Duffy. Sasha Resnick soon found Cauvigne in the end zone with a pretty bender backhand around the defense, to make the score 8-6. Backhoe regained possession on the next point, but Sarah Griffith nicked the disc from in front of Cate Foster to earn a turnover. Griffith soon completed a bookends play, a bit delayed, with a catch in the end zone from Drew Johnson. More turnovers led to another timeout, and this time Riot was able to notch a score: Jenn Willson's huck to a crowd in the end zone was not completed, but a foul call sent the disc back. Willson then connected with Roth to boost Riot's lead to 10-6.
Backhoe used their break throw strength to march the disc downfield, and Tania Reitz closed out a rush with an impressive layout catch to make the score 11-9 Riot. But Riot's defense, both in zone and man, proved to be too much for Backhoe, as Shannon O'Malley laid out for a “D” in front of a Backhoe receiver, and Sarah Griffith knocked a disc down that soared over the cup during the next few points. Gwen Ambler hucked the final score downfield to end the game, 15-10.
Semifinals
Brute Squad 16, Capitals 15
Both teams used cup zone at the start of this game, arguably to force the offense to make accurate, quick throws and also to conserve energy. Long looks for both teams didn't connect early, but Capitals' Kate Crump led the way with dominant cutting to boost the Capitals to a 4-1 lead. To counter the Capitals' cup, Brute Squad's handlers began moving more within the cup to push the disc upfield. A Capitals error on offense led to a turnover and narrowed the gap to 4-2, as Brute Squad's Amber Sinicrope found Rana Kannan on a break throw. Brute Squad looked ready to strike again on the next point, with Rohre Titcomb's big defensive bid to get a turnover, but the wind ate up her throw and the Capitals' D'ed the disc down.
Brute vs Capitals
Photo by Bil Elsinger
After one more switch in possession, Capitals' Anne Mercier threw a backhand break to Kristin Laurin in the end zone to go up 5-2. Brute Squad called a timeout after pushing the disc to the end zone line, but Chrissy Dobson's hammer throw was knocked down by Capitals' Malissa Lundgren. Although Brute Squad didn't convert, their tenacious defense tripped up the Capitals' cutters, leading to several pick calls. This pressure earned a turnover, and Kathy Dobson chased down a Vivian Zayas huck in the end zone to close the gap to 5-3.
The Capitals' offense kept going to a 7-4 advantage, and it looked like the eighth point was coming when Brute's offensive in-cuts stalled. But Rana Kannan countered this stoppage with a big break to Lauren Nelson. Vivian Zayas fully extended into a layout grab to catch Nelson's pass for the score, making it 7-5 Capitals. But an Alyson Walker-Jenna McBride connection pushed the Capitals into halftime, up 8-5.
Anne Mercier often commanded the Capitals offense, and her long-distance hammer started off the second half. Mercier then blazed upline into the end zone and caught a score, increasing the lead to 9-5. Brute Squad's miniature run closed the gap to 10-9. Capitals' Alyson Walker found Jenna McBride once again on a backhand throw to cushion their lead, and McBride caught a looping crossfield forehand a few points later to keep the Capitals ahead by two, 12-10.
Vivian Zayas continued to pilot the Brute Squad offense with ease, and the backfield calmly followed suit to bring the score to 12-11. The Capitals often tried to stall Brute's offense by lingering in the passing lanes, which worked on the next point, as a huck attempt fell flat. Jenna McBride set up Kathryn Pohran to re-establish the two-point lead, 13-11. After exchanging possession, Brute Squad's Stephanie Barker quickly executed the transition to offense and found Dominique Fontenette with a quick inverse forehand to narrow the lead to 13-12, and Zayas' break throw to Hana Kawai tied the game at 13-13.
Mercier made up for an earlier incompleted hammer by breaking up a passing play to Brute Squad's Stephanie Barker in the end zone with a defensive bid. Capitals' Kathryn Pohran was able to convert at the other end to put Capitals up, 14-13. After uncharacteristic inaccuracy from both sides, the Capitals called a timeout. They lost possession, but came out firing on defense, heavily contesting every Brute Squad in-cut. But Zayas was able to set up another score to tie it, 14-14.
The disc changed possession due to impressive bids from both teams, but it was Brute Squad's Mackenzie Fazekas who found the end zone first. The Capitals' handlers displayed icy focus and tied it up again, 15-15. But with the hard cap on, Zayas launched a hammer, and Hana Kawai plucked the disc out of the air from a mob of players to finalize the comeback and push Brute Squad into the finals.
The key to the victory was adjusting successfully to the Capitals defense, especially using the downfield poach to get their cutters open coming under, co-captain Peri Kurshan said.
"We never gave up knowing we were going to win," Kurshan said.
Fury 15, Riot 7
This match-up hasn't taken place until the finals for the past several years, but at the 2009 tournament, once of these teams wouldn't be making that trip. Fury started out the game with a variety of defenses, including a cup zone, which earned a turnover during the first point. Manisha Daryani found Arlie Stern to get on the board first. Miranda Roth countered with a forehand huck on the next possession, but it faded out of bounds on an uncontested foul. Roth didn't miss on her second try, finding Gwen Ambler to lead to a point to tie the game. Hot defense by Riot's Kate Kingery foiled a Fury score attempt, as a foul called on Kingery by Cree Howard was overturned by the observer. But Howard ended up pulling in a score anyway, after her defense earned a turnover for Fury.
Riot vs. Fury
Photo by Bil Elsinger
Fury co-captain Alex Snyder kept the offense rolling, touching the disc on every other pass on the next drive and making it a 3-1 game. Riot's handlers were able to outsmart the Fury zone defense, using blade throws to get around the cup in the face of little wind. Alyssa Weatherford soon hit Miranda Roth for a score to narrow Fury's lead to 4-3. But Riot didn't get on the board for the rest of the half, as Fury rolled to an 8-3 halftime score.
In the second half, Fury's cutters continued to find success by moving into holes and receiving the disc in the brief moments before Riot's defense could recover. When the disc was not in fast transition, Riot's defense was solid, and Riot players kept going hard, batting several discs out of the air. On the offensive rush, though, Riot often had trouble keeping possession on ensuing drives. Fury kept piling on the points, reaching a 14-6 advantage. On game point, Riot's offense stalled right away, and Fury's defense chased down Alyssa Weatherford's long pass downfield. Fury's offense didn't click either, and Riot's Miranda Roth converted a Fury turnover into a score to Shannon O'Malley, keeping Riot in the game. But Fury's Georgia Bosscher zipped a pass to Abby Christopher for the 15th point, sending Fury to the finals game for the fourth year in a row.
Day 2 Recap: Friday, Oct. 30
2009 UPA Club Championships
Sarasota, Fla.
Women’s Division
By Jessica Sipperley
Winning is always the objective at an Ultimate tournament, UPA Club Championships or not. But as the women's teams geared up to take the field on the second day, each team had its sights set on a slightly higher goal: win two games. In the power pools, two victories would put a team safely out of a precarious pre-quarter finals match. Earning two wins in a bottom pool would be a team's only path to a possible quarterfinals appearance. Find out who managed to notch two wins on the day, and which teams are facing off in tomorrow's quarterfinals matches:
Pool E: Riot, Capitals, Zeitgeist, Showdown
So far this weekend, several teams have challenged Riot, the No. 1 overall seed. But in every case, gunning for the upset never amounted to a victory, and Riot used its depth and skill to pull out a win in every game. Riot started the day looking solid against Zeitgeist, throwing tough defense that pushed the Zeitgeist handler core back. Riot's Sarah Griffith warded off a Zeitgeist rush with a huge D in the first half. Jenn Willson led the way defensively as well. During one point, she made a huge block on the disc, but not enough to knock it to the ground. Zeitgeist's Kath Ratcliff was able to scoop it up and feed Chelsea Witte to close the gap to 5-4, in favor of Riot.
After halftime Riot started racking up the points, leading by as much as 11-6. But Zeitgeist's tough defense kept them in the game, especially when the D-line thwarted a possible Riot score attempt right on the end zone line, and when the defense forced a hammer throw that ended up being a turnover. But Riot never let Zeitgeist get within two points, and Miranda Roth's lofty forehand to Karen Brimacombe, all alone in the end zone, sealed the game 15-11.
The Showdown vs. Capitals game started in a back-and-forth fashion that has become a familiar formula this weekend. Showdown came down hard right away, stringing together several crisp passes to score first. The teams traded points, and then Capitals co-captain Alyson Walker put on an offensive show, first springing in front of a Showdown handler to snag a Callahan, and then receiving a score from Kristin Laurin to put her team up 6-4. The Capitals tacked on two more points to take half.In the second half, Showdown upped the defensive intensity, but speedy cutters kept the Capitals offense rolling. Capitals' Danielle Fortin found Natalie Fitzgerald on a huck downfield, and Fitzgerald popped the disc in to Carla DiFilippo to go up 12-5. And Capitals never looked back on the way to a 15-7 win.
After that loss, Showdown needed a win against Zeitgeist to avoid a pre-quarters trip. "We're fired up for the next one," Showdown co-captain Cara Crouch said. "It's going to be a good game." Crouch's hunch was right, as Showdown jumped out to a 5-2 lead, quickly taking advantage of Zeitgeist's turnovers. Zeitgeist's offense sparked toward the end of the half, boosted by a layout catch from Anna Nazarov and an aggressive two-handed grab from Liz Cassel as she was cutting in. But tight dump defense forced a turnover, and Crouch found Hannah Giles in the end zone for the score to take half, 8-3.
In the second half, Showdown's speed helped them move the discipline on offense, but their defense had to dig deep against Zeitgeist's skilled handlers, especially Kath Ratcliff, Jamie Nuwer and Jessica Wilson. These handlers found holes to gain yards in Showdown's zone defense, forcing them to fall to man but still finding a way to score, narrowing the count to 10-6, Showdown. Showdown pushed through on the next few possessions, and they strung together a streak of backhand breaks to go up, 13-9, and eventually hit the elusive 15-point mark. With a 15-10 win, Showdown secured a spot in the quarterfinals.
Both Riot and Capitals came into their match with a win apiece, and Riot started turning the offensive gears quickly. The O-line put together a streak of pretty passes through the wind and the Capitals zone, and Madeleine Frey notched a score to put Riot up 2-0. Riot's speed and accurate throws allowed the score to keep growing, and Val Dion pulled down a disc in the end zone for an 8-4 halftime score. The second half kicked off with a four-point Capitals run, highlighted by two scores from Kate Crump to tie it up at 8.
Capitals came out with a tight zone to keep their momentum going, and several Riot handlers were forced to reset the disc with small passes to each other within the cup. Gwen Ambler broke through with a huck to the end zone, to put Riot up by one, but the Capitals offense didn't relent. The teams traded points, but Capitals were able to gain a point advantage, 14-13. Two points later, a crucial travel call from Riot's Shannon O'Malley would have negated a Capitals score. But the observer overturned the travel, and Capitals kept the point, to go up 15-14. And Danielle Fortin found Kate Crump on an open side forehand look to seal the upset, 16-14.
Pool F: Fury, Brute Squad, Backhoe, Lady Condors
Fury began the day with a business-like attitude in their opening game against Backhoe. Fury's intense defense often pushed Backhoe's handlers back, and Fury was able to convert drops or miscues into scores very efficiently. Fury went into halftime with an 8-2 advantage and never looked back, winning 15-5.
"We've been focusing a lot on different defenses," Fury co-captain Alex Snyder said. "We wanted to have as many different looks as we could."
At the same time, Brute Squad was facing off against Lady Condors, a team that was fresh off an upset of Traffic yesterday. And they were ready to go with smooth offense in this game, threading passes through Brute Squad's zone and amassing a 3-1 lead, capped by a score from Briana Cahn. But Brute Squad overcame their slow start and piled on the points, taking half and a 9-5 advantage at one point. Vivan Zayas often controlled Brute Squad's offensive rush, hitting Kathy Dobson in the end zone to put Brute up, 10-6. The Lady Condors defense couldn't hold off the advances; even after a great series of hard marks on the dumps, Rohre Titcomb simply threw a monster backhand all the way down the field to a diving Stephanie Barker for a score, 11-6. This ability to adapt pushed Brute Squad to a win, as the Lady Condors did not score for the rest of the game.
Brute Squad's next game was against Fury, and their lopsided win over Lady Condors fired them up with thoughts of an upset, as they quickly built a 4-2 lead. On the next possession, Georgia Bosscher got some air and snagged the disc from a crowd, then dished it to Alex Snyder to set up a score and bring Fury within one. Fury remounted their attack deep in their own end zone, but Betsy Calkins' layout past Fury's Alicia White put the disc in Brute Squad's possession. That “D” was the beginning of a series of turnovers for both teams, but Brute Squad's hustle on defense put them in the position to score, as they went up, 5-4. Fury took halftime and soon widened their lead to 11-6. Brute Squad's Shelly Peyton was all over the next possession, however, and her high-pressure defense forced a Fury turnover, which she followed with a throw to Kathy Dobson in the end zone to close the gap to 11-7. Brute Squad strung together a few break scores before Fury countered with a small run of their own. And at the end, it was a Brute Squad drop near midfield that put the disc in Alex Snyder's hands, and she threw it to Jody Dozono for the win, 15-10.
After the loss against Fury, Backhoe knew it needed a victory against the Lady Condors to avoid a must-win situation in the pre-quarters. The Lady Condors struck first, continuing to be successful with sneaking the disc into small spaces upline. Alden Fletcher found the end zone for the game's first point, and Lady Condors soon built a 4-1 lead. Backhoe's Cate Foster answered with a score on the next possession, and her enthusiastic spike rejuvenated the Backhoe squad all the way through the half, as Liz Willetts pulled in the score to take half, 8-7. The game was tight once the second half began, but in a key play, Backhoe was able
to ward off an offensive rush after a dropped pull put the Lady Condors right on the end zone line. Backhoe's Nicole Chauvigne soon had a diving catch in the end zone to complete a bookends play, putting Backhoe ahead, 10-9. And the Lady Condors would not score for the rest of the game, as Backhoe won, 15-9, and coasted safely into the quarterfinals.
Pre-quarterfinals: Zeitgeist vs. Traffic
Traffic emerged from a bottom pool by a narrow margin, beating Rare Air, 15-7, and eking out a win over Scandal, 15-13. Now, Traffic would need another victory at Nationals over their regional rival, Zeitgeist. The first point was filled with jittery drops and long misreads, but Zeitgeist was able to convert a Traffic turnover deep in their own territory for the first score. After a few failed connections, Traffic's Tory Hislop pulled down a long throw and passed the disc to Barb Mulchay for Traffic's first score. Traffic notched another one, but Zeitgeist responded with a string of three breaks in a row, capped off by Tessa Nichols streaking in all alone behind the Traffic defense and easily passing the disc to Liz Cassel in the end zone. Zeitgeist widened their lead by a few points, but their offensive momentum was quelled by Traffic's Kira Frew, sprinting upline for a catch in the end zone to make the count 6-4, Zeitgeist. Traffic's intense defense was gunning for another turnover. Zeitgeist's Kath Ratcliff had other ideas, threading a solid inverse forehand break crossfield and then throwing a bender backhand into the end zone to take half, 8-5.
Round 3: Traffic vs. Zeitgeist
Photo: Matt Lane
In the second half, Zeitgeist calmly worked the disc upfield against Traffic's zone, and Liz Flegel found Patty Perasso in the end zone as Traffic tried to get back into defensive position. Patience on offense paid off for Traffic as they tallied a point on the next possession, but their zone defense was not able to effectively halt Zeitgeist's march downfield. Zeitgeist's Leila Jirari notched a point to increase Zeitgeist's lead to 10-6. The next two points were all about Traffic's offense; with aggressive cutting and calm movement, Traffic racked two points in a row. A few possessions later, Traffic's Melissa Harder scored a critical point to make the score 12-9 in favor of Zeitgeist, but Kath Ratcliff's speed and impressive throws combined for two more Zeitgeist scores. Traffic hung tight for the whole game, but couldn't catch up completely. Zeitgeist's Liz Flegel iced the game, 15-12, and a trip to the quarterfinals.
Pre-quarterfinals: Ozone vs. Lady Condors
After losses to Showdown and Riot on Thursday, it was clear Ozone was serious about getting back up into the power pools with victories over Nemesis, 15-8, and Safari, 15-5.
"We had to remind everyone to stay fired up," Ozone co-captain Angela Lin said. "We have a path to where we want to be."
Their next game was against the Lady Condors, who were bruised from two tough losses earlier in the day. The Condors found early success with their characteristic up-the-line offense, and after an initial Ozone score, Shannon Bubb was able to tie things up. Tenacious defense by Ozone combined well with skilled break throws from the handlers, and Ozone soon went up 5-2. On the next point, the Lady Condors had a long stand on the end zone line, and kept possession with multiple foul calls after the disc went awry. One such call was contested by Ozone, but the original call was upheld by the observer. Lady Condors' Andrea Romano didn't miss the chance and found Briana Cahn on the forehand side to make the score 5-3 Ozone. Quick disc movement and sharp passes from Lady Condors propelled them to the end zone a few more times, but Ozone's patient offense was the ticket to halftime.
In the second half, the Lady Condors tried to stop Ozone's offense by blocking off passing lanes, but Ozone's Annie Newton made a one-handed catch past the defense to put Ozone up, 9-6. On the next possession, Ozone separated the Lady Condors backfielders from the handlers with a spread defense. Each team had long chances, but Ozone was the one to convert, 10-6. The Lady Condors rattled off three points in a row, but Ozone's calm offense and strong cutting allowed the backfield to create lots of space. With Ozone up 11-10, Ozone's Shayne Crawford caught the disc in the end zone, but the score was negated. Not a problem for Katherine Wooten, who hit the ground hard to preserve the score on the next pass, and put Ozone up, 12-10. At game point, 14-11 Ozone, a hotly contested disc in the air resulted in a foul call by Ozone's Sarah Owenby and a protest from her Lady Condors defender. The foul call was overturned by an observer, but the Lady Condors couldn't strike on a long-huck attempt. Ozone sealed the game, 15-11, on the next play, and began preparing for their quarterfinals game on Saturday morning.
Round 3: Ozone vs. Lady Condors
Photo: Matt Lane
Day 1 Recap: Thursday, Oct. 29
2009 UPA Club Championships
Sarasota, Fla.
Women’s Division
By Jessica Sipperley
During warm-up at the 2009 UPA Club Championships, the word on everybody's mind was heat. The competition was about to heat up significantly, as the teams in the women's division would be tested in a way they had not been all season. Players would soon see which teams would withstand the heat from their opponents, and which ones would crumble under the pressure. And of course, which teams would stand up to the actual heat outside? After all, it hit 88 degrees.
The top seeds all held, but in a couple of pools, the bottom three seeds tangled with each other and mixed things up a bit. Here's how the women's field played out during pool play.
Pool A: (1) Riot; (8) Showdown; (9) Ozone; (16) Wildcard
This year, Seattle-based Riot took the driver's seat in the field of teams, and fought their way to an undefeated record. It wasn't all smooth sailing, as Ozone, seeded No. 9, gave Riot a serious test right off the bat. Riot went up 6-4, utilizing a strong fronting defense to stifle Ozone's cuts out of the stack. On offense, Miranda Roth's two-handed grab for Riot, past a fully extended defender, set-up the score that put Riot up 8-6 at half. In the second half, Ozone, out of Atlanta, chomped away at Riot's lead, highlighted by a series of break throws ending with a score to put Ozone up 10-9. But with wide open looks on offense, and help from a Callahan, Roth slid into the end zone for the score to end the game, 15-13.
After that close game, Riot didn't look back for the rest of the day. Wildcard, the No. 16 seed from Pennsylvania, kept things tight early, with a tie score of 5-5. But once Riot's offense got rolling, often with Val Dion playing a key part in putting points on the board, Wildcard only put up one more point until the end of the game: Riot 15-6. The first half of Riot's match with Showdown, a solid team from Texas built on executing the fundamentals, began in an eerily similar way, with the two teams trading points until Riot took half. But once the break was over, smart offense and tough defense spelled victory for Riot, 15-7, and the end of an undefeated day.
Round 1: Riot vs. Wildcard
Photo: Bil Elsinger
With the bitter loss to Riot lingering, Ozone had to regroup against Showdown for both teams' second game of the day. After going down 6-3, Ozone's Shayne Crawford helped lead the charge of two break scores in a row, to bring the count to 6-5 Showdown. But Showdown was able to execute tough break throws and get behind the Ozone defense, adding to their lead to take half and eventually the game, 15-12.
In its debut season, Wildcard was looking to add some Club Championships victories to its résumé. In their opening match against Showdown, the Wildcard offense found success by moving the disc into small spots upline, with sharp jukes and fakes. Several turns by each team made for some long points in the first half, but Showdown's defense was able to swing the momentum in their favor. Frances Tsukano brought down the score to seal the halftime score at 8-5, Showdown.
In the second half, Wildcard was able to utilize their small game against Showdown's defense, in which three women matched up against the handlers and the other four played a looser zone behind this formation, for some time. But Showdown's defense proved to be too much, as Wildcard fell and lost 15-10.
In the last game of the day, Wildcard met Ozone, a team burning from two close losses and ready to get in the win column. Wildcard worked the disc up and over Ozone's zone to tie it early, 2-2, but Ozone changed things up defensively and took advantage of Wildcard turnovers to hammer out points and go up 10-2. Ozone tacked on five more points for the victory and their first win of the day.
Pool B: (2) Fury; (7) Traffic; (10) Lady Condors; (15) Pop
Fury deserved to earn the title in their pool, as the team consistently displayed patient offense – working with and against the wind – and aggressive defense for the whole day. The defending 2008 champions out of the Bay Area didn't have any jitters to start the day's play, jumping all over Lady Condors and closing the game out quickly, 15-4. Fury stayed several steps ahead of the Santa Barbara team, using a variety of defensive strategies to trip up the Condors' flow and then capitalizing on the turnovers.
The Fury vs. Traffic match-up stayed close the entire way. Both teams had spots of trouble with the wind, as the women tried different types of throws to work through the opposing defense. After a half that ended 8-6 in favor of Fury, Traffic was fired up to close the gap, but Lindsay Nettlefold's monster backhand break throw was eaten up by Georgia Bosscher's layout “D.” Traffic's Sarah Bobak responded a few points later, with a leaping grab above a crowd of three Fury players, a quick dish to a teammate, and a catch for the score to make it 9-7 Fury. But Traffic, of Vancouver, couldn't hang, and Fury closed out the game 15-11 for their third win of the day.
Although their game against Fury was tight, Traffic's game against Lady Condors was the biggest nail-biter of the day. The two teams traded points during the first half – smooth offensive flow and hard cutting to small spaces helped both teams, and Kaela Jorgenson's one-handed snag mid-stride put Lady Condors ahead at half, 8-7.
The tight rotation of the Lady Condors proved to be an advantage, as Jorgenson, Andrea Romano and Alden Fletcher were very effective on both sides of the disc. But the Lady Condors flow was not completely smooth, especially when a few foul calls after missed scoring attempts kept the disc in Condors’ possession and eventually resulted in a point.
Miscommunication on the dump and deep cuts led to some Traffic turnovers, but Traffic's Tasia Balding bombed a great backhand huck to a teammate, after the Lady Condors defense took the forehand attempt away, to tie the game at 14-14. Traffic took the next O-point, and Lady Condors' Carolyn Finney countered with another score, but immediately went down with leg cramps. Despite protests from Traffic that she dropped the disc before she had control, the point remained, tying the score at 15. And with hard cap in place, Lady Condors were able to take the victory, and first upset of the day, 17-15.
Pop, based in Minneapolis, showed promise early in their game against Fury while catching them on their heels and scoring the first point. But that game ended in a 15-5 loss, and Pop fell to Traffic in their opener as well, 15-6. But it looked like Pop was headed to its first victory in the last game of pool play against Lady Condors. Co-captain Robin Kunze led the offensive charge from the handler position, and Pop's backfield did an excellent job of separating themselves from trailing defenders and creating space. Pop jumped out to a 9-6 lead, but it quickly evaporated with a five-point run from Lady Condors. Carolyn Finney rounded out the comeback, snatching a disc out of the air and ripping a pass to Allison Maddux for the win, 15-12.
Pool C: (3) Capitals; (6) Zeitgeist; (11) Nemesis; (14) Safari
The Capitals squad, out of Ontario, cleanly cut its way out of Pool C, never allowing a team to come within three points of victory. Chicago-based Nemesis challenged the top seed early, trading points en route to a 4-4 tie. Each team gave up the disc on offensive miscues, and Capitals came out just ahead at halftime, 8-6. Alyson Walker's tireless cutting created chances for Capitals in the second half, and Capitals was able to close out the game, 15-11, on one of her catches.
By the time Capitals and Zeitgeist met in the third game, Capitals had found their offensive groove. The teams were tied early, 2-2, but Capitals gave themselves quite a cushion going into halftime, 8-3, after a score connection from Kate Crump to Chantal Mayotte. In the second half, Zeitgeist shut down the strike lane several times, but the Capitals handlers simply executed their break throws. In the end, Capitals took the game 15-10, and held on to the top seed in the pool.
Earlier in the day, Zeitgeist's Kath Ratcliff set the tone in their first game against Safari, racking two “D's” and an assist during the first point. Zeitgeist, from Berkeley, Calif., kept the momentum going, and took a 15-11 win. In their game against Nemesis, the squads traded points early. Nemesis kept up the stellar dump defense, but the Zeitgeist backfielders adapted and moved the disc with upline cuts. Nemesis' Lizzy Shiel made the score at 6-6 with a layout grab upline that caused her sideline to erupt, but the celebration stalled with a four-point Zeitgeist run. A Nemesis score and handblock by Laura Moore tried to get Nemesis back on track. But Zeitgeist's Susan Batchedler had a diving grab on an angled disc to spark their offense, and it was Batchelder who ended the game, 15-12, with an open side cut into the end zone.
By the time San Diego-based Safari and Nemesis met, both teams were looking for their first win of the day. Safari kept it close with Zeitgeist and also with Capitals; Safari's strong defensive pushes were countered by a Capitals offense that seemed just a step ahead, as Safari lost, 15-7. Nemesis' energy may have been zapped from their two previous games by the time Safari came around. Safari jumped out to a 3-1 lead, with Vivi Mai dictating the offensive flow. Down 11-6 in the second half, Nemesis went on a miniature run, highlighted by Kelly Marshall's run-through “D” that morphed into a sprint downfield, all the way to the end zone. Marshall's bookends play rejuvenated her teammates, but Nemesis just couldn't convert on their chances. Safari broke seed in the pool and earned the victory, 15-9.
Pool D: (4) Brute Squad; (5) Backhoe; (12) Rare Air; (13) Scandal
In one of Pool D's opening matches, both Brute Squad, out of Boston, and Rare Air, from Colorado were hindered by unsteady hands and unrefined cuts. But Brute Squad pulled away in the later part of the first half, racking up several points. Vivian Zayas propelled this flow into the second half, as Brute made the count 9-4. As the game went on, Brute Squad was able to work effectively with the wind, earn back possession with hard-fought defense, and win the game, 15-6.
The other opening match followed a similar scoring pattern. The first few points of Backhoe vs. Scandal were littered with calls and stalled play, and Scandal stayed close early. But as Backhoe dominated the air, they kept regaining possession and converting Scandal turnovers into scores. Backhoe took half, 8-3, and threw a cup zone right away. Scandal's backfield was able to work the disc through the holes, spearheaded by the quick play of Jennie Wellman. But Scandal, based in Washington, D.C., wasn't able to keep this flow going, and Backhoe's man defense eventually made Scandal's offense collapse. Backhoe pulled away with the win, 15-5.
Brute Squad vs. Scandal
Photo: Bil Elsinger
After a 15-9 win over Scandal, Brute Squad set its sights on the match-up with Backhoe. Backhoe started out sluggish and didn't look like they would regain their footing, and Brute Squad cruised comfortably into halftime with an 8-2 lead.
The Brute Squad offense looked calm and collected in the second half, and Shelly Peyton found Lucy Barnes in the end zone to extend the lead to 10-3. But Backhoe began chipping away at the lead, and a pass from Lindsey Hack to Sasha Resnick to make the score 13-8 sparked new life in the North Carolina squad. Tough man-defense put the Brute Squad handlers on their heels, and Backhoe tallied another break score to close the gap to 13-9. Brute Squad changed up defensive strategies, switching from zone to man, but Backhoe hung around, coming within three points at 14-11. But it was Brute's all-star handler, Vivian Zayas, who put Backhoe away for good, 15-11, with a throw to Rana Kannan.
The Scandal vs. Rare Air match-up was expected to be fairly even, with similar scores coming out of their respective losses to both Backhoe and Brute Squad. Rare Air's handler core stayed cool in the face of high pressure on their backfielders, but their early lead didn't last. Scandal's defense paved the way for them to take an 8-5 halftime lead. A few possessions later, Rare Air's Kelley Knieb made an aggressive strike cut and hit Leslie Schein with a long backhand huck to narrow the score to 10-8 Scandal. Hard Rare Air defense put them right in the thick of it, down by only two points, 14-12. But Scandal was able to prevail, 15-12, for the only upset in Pool D.
2009 UPA Club Championships
Women’s Division Preview
By Jessica Sipperley
One year ago the top-two seeded teams stormed through their respective brackets to end up facing each other for the title, in a routine that had become well rehearsed. No 1. Fury, from the California Bay Area, was defending its three-year reign, and Seattle-based Riot was clawing its way up in an effort to take it away. At first, it looked like a major upset was in the works. Riot had Fury by the throat, leading by as much as 11-4, but Fury began to calmly chop away at the lead, one point at a time, and capped an amazing comeback with a 15-12 final score.
But come Oct. 29, Riot won't be the only team looking for vengeance against Fury. The nation’s top club women's teams have been whittled down to a group of 16, and all of them are ready to assert their claim to the 2009 UPA Club Championship.
Pool A: (1) Riot, (8) Showdown, (9) Ozone, (16) Wildcard
Riot
The newest Regional Champion out of the ultra-competitive Northwest may be unfamiliar with holding the crown, but this team has the roster to back it up. Riot picked up former Fury captain Gwen Ambler, and boasts a line-up with several key returners, including Liz Duffy and Miranda Roth. The team cleaned up at the Emerald City Classic, beating Fury in the finals, and tied for third at the Labor Day Ultimate Championships after losing in the semifinals. As the fresh No. 1-seed, Riot will be looking to extend their winning streak -- and most importantly, their victories over Fury.
Showdown
Showdown's perfect record at Regionals reflects a team that has been steadily building. Showdown rebounded from a one-victory weekend in the Colorado Cup to place sixth at the Chesapeake Open, beating fellow UPA Club Championships qualifiers Pop and Wildcard, and keeping things alarmingly close against the Lady Condors, Backhoe and Nemesis. Look for captain and Team USA member Cara Crouch to push this Texas team toward a high finish in Sarasota.
Ozone
Ozone, out of Atlanta, stomped the Regionals competition to return to the big stage, with their record tarnished only by a two-point loss to Showdown. Ozone captured the Winston Cup Challenge title, and almost scraped by Fury in the semifinals of the Labor Day Ultimate Championships, but lost by one point. Boosted by solid handling from Deb Cussen and unstoppable cutting from Shayne Crawford, Ozone will be aiming high in pool play and beyond.
Wildcard
This season, Wildcard went up against Club Championships mainstays, placing fifth at the Winston Cup Challenge and the Chicago Heavyweights Championships. Wildcard, based in Pennsylvania, cruised through Sectionals and Regionals, suffering losses to only Backhoe and Scandal, and will try to build on their momentum against the field of teams in Sarasota.
Pool B: (2) Fury, (7) Traffic, (10) Lady Condors (15) Pop
Fury
Fury's season has been perfect except for three losses to Riot, as the team narrowly avoided more blemishes with one-point victories over Brute Squad and Backhoe at ECC, and Ozone at the Labor Day Ultimate Championships. But Fury pulled out those close games, and they have emerged victorious in the UPA Club Championships since 2006. This history, along with a roster of veterans and talented additions – including Georgia Bosscher – ensures this team will be ready to defend their reign.
Traffic
After losing to upstart Underground at the Northwest Regional, Traffic took them down in the game-to-go to earn the fourth bid. Traffic's finest finish this season was second place at the Labor Day Championships, posting a victory over Riot. Over the season Traffic has dropped its fair share of games against other Nationals qualifiers, but look for Kira Frew and Candace Chan to push their squad to a high finish.
Lady Condors
Many women from this team, including Andrea Romano and Kaela Jorgensen, were part of the UCSB Burning Skirts' college championship season in 2009. Even with a limited tournament résumé, the Lady Condors tied for third at the Chesapeake Open, falling to the Capitals in the semifinals. After taking the Southwest Regional title from the more experienced Rare Air and Safari, they will be looking to do the same damage in Florida.
Pop
Pop stormed through the Central Region, losing only to Nemesis. It's certain these women from Minnesota will have their sights set beyond simple revenge against their Regional rival. Pop posted victories over Showdown and Box at the Colorado Cup, but stumbled at the Chesapeake Open, with losses to the Lady Condors, Capitals and Scandal. But with two trips to the UPA Club Championships under its belt, Pop is no stranger to the level of competition to come.
Pool C: (3) Capitals, (6) Zeitgeist, (11) Nemesis, (14) Safari
Capitals
This Ontario-based team earned the Northeast Region title with stifling defense, holding opponents to one point apiece in four of six games. Anne Mercier is back after playing with Traffic last year, and the team posted undefeated tournament runs at both Regionals and the Chesapeake Open in August, knocking off several fellow UPA Club Championships qualifiers. This string of wins earned Capitals the three seed atop of Pool C, and they'll be looking to rack up some more victories right away.
Zeitgeist
After an absence from the Championships in 2008, Zeitgeist, of the Bay Area, will be looking to re-establish themselves among the country's elite women's teams. Zeitgeist fell to Fury in the finals of the Colorado Cup, stumbled with close losses to Backhoe, Traffic and Riot at ECC, and took fifth at the Labor Day Ultimate Championships. But a strong performance in the Series, capped by a victory over Underground to ensure a trip to Sarasota, will have this team ready for a run for the crown.
Nemesis
This Chicago-based team took things to the next level this season, traveling across the country for high-caliber tournaments. Nemesis posted an impressive tie for third-place at the Colorado Cup (highlighted by a universe-point victory over Rare Air) and a fifth-place performance at the Chesapeake Open. Nemesis won the Central Regional tournament handily and never let a team score more than six points. The tight scores in many games against fellow UPA Club Championships qualifiers will bode well for Nemesis.
Safari
To get the final bid from the Southwest Region, Safari took vengeance on 2008 qualifier Box with a 15-9 win. This team, out of San Diego, finished in the middle of the pack at the Labor Day Championships, but won the sectional tournament, defeating the Lady Condors. Safari will be looking to strut their stuff after missing the 2008 UPA Club Championships.
Pool D: (4) Brute Squad, (5) Backhoe, (12) Rare Air, (13) Scandal
Brute Squad
Boston-based Brute Squad captured the first spot in Pool D, earning some pride for the Northeast area. Vivian Zayas controls the tempo of play as a handler, and Dominique Fontenette, formerly of Lady Godiva, is a key newcomer. After going from a 3-5 record at the Emerald City Classic to being runners-up at the Chesapeake Open, Brute Squad will try to ride this wave and peak next weekend.
Backhoe
Trips to the Club Championships are nothing new to Backhoe, based out of North Carolina. Led by Lindsey Hack and Sharon Tucker at the handler position and cutter Cate Foster, Backhoe posted victories over Northwest powerhouses Zeitgeist and Traffic at the Emerald City Classic, as well as second-place finishes at the Winston Cup Challenge and the Chesapeake Open. After storming through the competition at the Mid-Atlantic Regional, the team will be looking to make just as much of a stir at this year's championships.
Rare Air
Rare Air finished second in the Southwest region behind the Lady Condors; tied for third-place with Nemesis at the Colorado Cup; and kept it close with Traffic and Fury at the Labor Day Championships before eventually losing both matches. But this team, out of Boulder, Colo., has qualified for the UPA Club Championships every year except one since 2002. This longevity means the women of Rare Air will be ready for what's to come.
Scandal
In its second year, Scandal can already post a trip to the Club Championships on its résumé. Based in Washington, D.C., Scandal placed third at the Chicago Heavyweights Championships, beating Showdown, and won 13 straight games en route to a second-place finish at Regionals. The team pushed itself against UPA Club Championships-level competition all season, and they'll be looking for it to pay off in Sarasota.
