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 The 2010 Fall Season was a season of growth and change for the Raptors. The team experienced a good amount of turnover, with older players retiring and new athletes stepping up from the college ranks to fill their shoes. Several veteran players moved into the Denver area and pulled on a Glendale jersey, and the team welcomed a new head coach.
"Our mission for this season was to expand our vision of the game, explore some different patterns of play, and improve the details of our physical game. The team's always been known for its speed and agility, but to continue to the top of Division 1 and beyond we've got to broaden our skills and open ourselves up to a bigger, more complete rugby experience."
The team performed well early in the season, besting local rival Black Ice and visitors Chicago women through superior athleticism. Just a week later, Black Ice took their revenge, toppling Glendale in a friendly. "That loss, though emotionally very difficult for the players to swallow, may have been the best thing for us. We can't keep doing the same thing every week without expecting our rivals to catch on. It was good for them, and it was a wakeup call for us."
Since the West Women's league did not have a formal competition this year, the Raptors needed to see quality opponents on the road. The women traveled to Philadelphia, where they went 3-1 at the annual Pumpkinfest tournament, to prepare for the Western Women's Championships, and to Portland, OR, to play ORSU, Portland's Women's Premier League Team to prepare for the later CR2 competition.
We identified two peaks for this season - our first to occur at Western Championships, and the second at the first round of nationals. They players worked hard, sacrificed, and peaked at exactly the right moments.
At the Western Championships, the Raptors faced St. Louis in the semi-final round. St. Louis did not provide much of a contest, as Glendale ran in 10 unanswered tries. Across the pitch, Austin and Black Ice fought a tough match; Austin coming out on top to set up a repeat of last year's west final. The Sunday match between Austin and Glendale was very physical, and teams worked hard to effectively utilize their possession. Austin played a slower, more physical game, while Glendale worked hard to get and keep the ball moving. In the end, Glendale's superior fitness and open field play prevailed, as they put in three unanswered tries in the final six minutes of the match to claim the Western Women's Championship title.
The second peak targeted during the season was the National Round of 12. Prior to the round of 12, Glendale played in a seeding tournament in Chicago, IL, with Chicago North Shore, Chicago Women, and Austin.
Glendale met Chicago Women in their first match of the seeding weekend, perhaps a little overconfident from our win at home earlier in the season. After 30 minutes in Chicago's red zone, star fullback, Claire Gregorich, suffered a season ending knee injury, and the team struggled to regroup. Chicago wound up on top, setting up yet another Austin/Glendale match. While Glendale and Austin played for CR2's #3 seed, Chicago and Chicago North Shore competed for #1. Glendale topped Austin for the second time, and traveled to the National Round of 12 as the region's #3 seed.
The Round of 12 for 2010 was held in Austin, TX, so the Raptors boarded their 4th plane of the season to face off against Providence Women, from Rhode Island. The tenacious team was making their first appearance at Nationals, and while the game was very competitive, the easterners couldn't compete with Glendale's experience, open field skills, and enhanced physicality. Glendale women advanced to the round of 8, but not without a cost - center Jenna Anderson suffered a severe knee injury, followed shortly afterwards by flanker Nicole Delue. The following day we were to face the defending National Champions, the San Diego Surfers, and it would truly be a test of our depth and commitment.
"The women put in a breathtaking performance. San Diego is not known as a small team, several of their players are quiet large. We were definitely outmatched in that area, but you wouldn't have known on game day. Each of the players was 10 feet tall. San Diego got the best of us, 3 tries to none. We made a handful of mistakes, and that's when they got us. That's why they went on to win a second consecutive National Championships. No one likes to lose, but there's most definitely a shiny silver lining. Every single player on team believes now that we can be successful at the National level, and everyone is going into the off season with a renewed focus on training. Next year will be very exciting!"
The Raptors closed out their season with a friendly scrimmage against the ERRFU U23s. The U23s are the near future of our rugby programs, so we have a responsibility to prepare them for their upcoming challenges to the best of our ability.
Glendale's Raptors activities this season weren't just limited to the pitch. The women did community service events at the Girls Athletic Leadership School, at Children’s Hospital and at various elementary and middles schools. With active participation as coaches in both the U19 Girls program and the after school youth program, we aren't just developing athletes, we're developing the next generation of leaders. |
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 On October 29, 2010 the Glendale Raptors travelled to the Austin, TX for the USA Rugby Women's National Playoffs. On Saturday, Glendale faced off against the Providence Women, from Providence, NH. Riddled with injuries, the Raptors demonstrated tremendous depth, fitness, and mental toughness, besting Providence on Saturday, and falling by three tries to last year's National Champion, the San Diego Surfers, on Sunday.
While both Providence and Glendale have similar strengths and styles, the Raptors experience and depth proved to be the difference. Glendale got on the board first, after Providence kicked out of their red zone, and Bethany Zick and Andrea Prusinski countered. A quick ruck ensued, and fly half Bethany Humphrey penetrated the retreating defense to score wide of the posts. Providence answered almost immediately, exploiting a missed tackle by Glendale to score, also wide of the posts. With neither kick converted, the game was tied 5-5.
Just after half, flanker Nicole Delue took a quick pass after a Providence turnover, evaded three defenders, and scored beneath the posts. The try was converted by Sara Edwards to put Glendale ahead, 12-5. Very soon after, a series of Glendale penalties brought Providence to their end, and a breakdown in defense allowed the Providence wing into Glendale's try zone, to bring Providence within 2. The try was not converted.
The final scoring occurred when #8 Taryn Brennan picked weak off a scrum and beat the defense to put Bethany Humphrey into space and the try zone, for her second of the game. The try was again converted by Edwards, to widen Glendale's lead 19-10. Providence continued to pressure till the very end of the game, repeatedly striking the midfield. Centers, Jenna Anderson and Sara Edwards, were vigilant on defense, repeatedly double tackling Providence's centers and inserting fullback, denying them the line break. All the hard work took its toll though, and #12 Jenna Anderson was forced to leave the game with a knee injury. Glendale's depth was tested, and the season's work in this area paid off, as replacements Laura Valcore and Heidi Bauer closed out the game with Glendale victorious.
The win against Providence allowed Glendale to advance, along with Chicago North Shore, NOVA, and Belmont Shore. The unusual "Round of 12" format allows the top 4 tournament seeds first round byes, so all of the advancing teams had their work cut out for them, as they faced teams who did not play Saturday.
Glendale faced off against the San Diego Surfers, last year's National Champions and the tournaments #1 seed. Despite the tough game Saturday, Glendale came out at a very high pace, with a level of physicality previously unseen. After 20 minutes in San Diego's end, a series of penalties gave the Surfers field position and a clear shot at the posts. San Diego slotted the penalty kick to go ahead 3-0. Almost immediately, the flow reversed itself and San Diego watched the Raptor's Sara Edwards slot a penalty kick to tie up the game 3-3.
San Diego's experience showed itself as they repeatedly beat the Raptors to realign and stack attackers in the midfield. Repeatedly Glendale's scramble defense, combined with diligent open field tackling by fullback Bethany Zick-Wilson, kept the ensuing line break from doing too much damage, but through subsequent phases the Surfers were able to put two attackers in the try zone. At the end of the first half, the Surfers led 17-3.
After the half, Glendale made some defensive adjustments, pulling from the forwards to augment the back line defense. The impact was significant, and San Diego was held scoreless till very late in the second half, when an attack in Glendale's red zone successfully outflanked the defense. During the final moments of the game, Glendale flanker Nicole Delue left the field with a knee injury, and wing Maia Johnston stepped into the position. Glendale did not fade, and continued to pressure San Diego till the final whistle, which came after a final San Diego penalty kick. Final Score San Diego 26, Glendale 3.
"I couldn't be prouder of the players" said Head Coach Lisa Rosen. "We've implemented a new game plan, and played the game of the season against San Diego. Our challenge has always been lack of competition - the fact that the team was able to put in such a tremendous performance against the #1 team in the country says volumes about our focus and commitment this season. We've struggled with injuries this season. Players have had their seasons ended by foot injuries, rib injuries, shoulder injuries, and knee injuries. The fact that we did not let this hold us back from putting in a peak performance at nationals is evidence that we've got athletes from top to bottom. Having mentally tough, fit, athletic players to step right in when a teammate is hurt means we are doing something right."
Though the Raptors official season is over, the women's developmental side will be hosting the ERRFU U23 All Stars next Saturday, to assist that group in preparation for the LAU All Star tournament. Kickoff is at 11:00pm, at Infinity Park.
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The Glendale Raptors travelled to Portland, Oregon this weekend for a friendly match against the women of ORSU (Oregon Rugby Sports Union). Glendale is currently preparing for USA Rugby Division 1 National Championships, and actively sought out a Women's Premier League (WPL) team to give them a tough match in advance of next weekends trip to Chicago for West/Midwest playoffs.
Unfortunately, a bout of the flu and a prior WPL game against Keystone kept ORSU's top performers out of the match, leaving Glendale free to run in 16 tries, scored by 9 different players, for a final score of 96-0.
While the trip wasn't quite what we were looking for in terms of competition, the team was able to work on its offensive pattern as well as continue building the depth necessary to be successful in the upcoming national playoffs. The Raptors were able to hold ORSU scoreless through 80 minutes.
While fullback Claire Gregorich put in a stellar 4 try performance, the highlight of the match was an outstanding breakout performance by fast and powerful outside center Heidi Bauer, who was unavailable during the early part of the season and is just now finding her stride.
Scoring Summary:
Jenna Anderson - 3 tries - 15 points
Claire Gregorich - 4 tries - 20 points
Heidi Bauer - 2 tries - 15 points
Hanna Birge - 1 try - 5 points
Bethany Zick - 1 try - 5 points
Nicole Delue - 3 tries, one conversion, 17 points
Stephanie Fillmore - 2 conversions, 4 points
Nina Safane - 2 tries - 10 points
Khanh Vu - 1 try, 5 points |
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The Glendale Women earned the territorial title this past weekend with a 41-24 victory over the Austin Valkyeries.
Glendale earned a berth in the final with a 71-0 victory over the St Louis Sabres on Saturday in a match that saw 11 tries from Hannah Birge (2), Claire Gregorich (2), Andrea Prusinski (1), Bethany Zick-Wilson (3), Taryn Brennan (3), and 5 conversions from Yvonne Johnston, and 3 from Sara Edwards.
"The team's been working hard on its ability to penetrate the midfield, and it's really paying off," states coach Lisa.
The Austin Valkyeries took on Denver's Black Ice on Saturday, earning their spot in the final with a 24-12 victory. Sunday's matchup was a contrast in styles, with Austin's bigger, more physical pack taking the edge keeping the ball tight and their crashing centers hammering the ball up the middle.
"We've been working very hard on our defense, and despite Austin's superior size, our skill at the tackle area and our commitment to attack from turnovers, kept us in the tightly contested game."
The scoring started out early in the first half, as #13 Bethany Zick-Wilson cherry picked a pass on the 50 and raced all the way to the goal line. Austin answered almost immediately with a kick and chase attack. A quick pass from the ruck caught the Glendale defense scrambling and tied the game 7-7. Five minutes later, under tremendous pressure, wing Andrea Prusinski accelerated through several defenders to place the ball in the corner and put Glendale ahead. The try was converted to put Glendale in the lead 14-7. As was typical of the back and forth game, Austin quickly returned the try by moving the ball quickly away from a driving scrum to sore just beyond the posts.
Shortly after the open half kickoff, #8 Taryn Brennan picked the ball off the base of the scrum and raced down the short side of the field. 15 meters from the goal line she offloaded to fullback Claire Gregorich, who dotted down in the corner to put Glendale back in the lead 19-14. The game continued it's back and forth nature, with Austin answering Glendale's attacking drives with a pushover try and a penalty kick to put Austin in the lead 24-22.
After kicking deep into Austin's territory, Glendale attacked the midfield off a lineout, and two ensuing passes from Bethany Humphreys and Bethany Zick-Wilson put fullback Claire Gregorich in the tryzone and Glendale ahead, 29-24. That was all for Austin. Glendale’s superior fitness and bench depth showed as Glendale then scored 3 tries in less than 10 minutes to finish the game with a 41-24 score-line.
The score certainly doesn't reflect the competitiveness of the game. It was only late in the game that Glendale really recognized Austin's defensive gaps in the center and really exploited them. Glendale’s ability to maintain discipline, play their pattern, and keep the game pace high until the 80th minute, made the difference today. It all came down to the last 15 minutes and Glendale prevailed.
Next up for Glendale are friendly matches against Boulder and ORSU, before traveling to Chicago to face the mid-west's top two teams in our Regional Championship. With this weekend’s performance, Glendale has qualified for a spot at nationals. The matches in Chicago will determine the Raptors national seeding going into the November National Championship. |
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The Glendale Women played their first regular match of the fall season against Chicago Women at Infinity Park. Chicago got on the board early after a penalty and subsequent kick resulted in a Chicago lineout deep in Raptor territory. A quick move around the front of the lineout caught the Glendale defense sleeping, and Chicago followed shortly after with a successful penalty kick. Glendale answered quickly, after Chicago committed a penalty of their own, giving Glendale a quick tap opportunity just at Chicago's 22. The ball moved quickly through the hands, and was touched down by wing Andrea Prusinski. Chicago 8, Glendale 5.
As the first half went, each team traded tries, with Chicago's dynamic #8 powering over the line, and Glendale flankers Nicole Delue and Nina Safane connecting on a breakaway that finished with Safane in the tryzone. The two teams went into the half with Chicago leading 15-10.
At half, Glendale made some adjustments, with #10 Bethany Humphrey and #13 Laura Valcore switching places - the change was just what the Raptors needed, as Valcore's playmaking abilities and Humphrey's pace opened up several attacking opportunities out wide. The back row trio of Delue, Safane, and #8 Taryn Brennan began to attack off the scrums, and #12 Jenna Anderson became making some hard probing runs in the midfield. Humprey split a gap in the defense, and offloaded to Prusinski to out Glendale ahead 17-15 (try converted by prop Yvonne Johnston). Shortly after Glendale took the lead, replacement wing and rugby newcomer Lindsay Kastanek touched down in the corner after a hard run by Anderson committed the Chicago defense.
Chicago kicked deep to into Glendale's end, and #8 again proved herself as a threat after a clearing kick was caught by the incoming wind. She secured the kicked ball and touched down in the corner, closing the scoring gap to 22-20.
Glendale brought several fresh players to accelerate the game pace and take advantage of Chicago's growing fatigue. Prusinski capped of her hat trick for the day with a long run, evading several defenders along the way, and center Anderson neatly pinned her opposite and then outflanked for her first try of the day. Chicago continued to be a threat in the midfield, but were only able to score one more try. At the final whistle, the score was Glendale 37, Chicago 25.
"We have several goals heading into this match, and we moved forward on each of them. Our backs are learning a new offensive system, and so far things are looking good. We'll continue to work on our point of contact skills and our midfield defense, both of which still need improvement, but we've already made significant progress since last week. This match was an excellent opportunity for the team to build its depth, as several players where gone for the USA Rugby National All Star Sevens Championships. Several players stepped up to play new positions, and we were able to get everyone some more experienced. Overall I'm extremely pleased.
Next weekend the Raptors will take on local rivals Black Ice at 10am at Cook Park in Denver, Saturday, Sept 4. |
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