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Semi-Finals
Carleton vs. Iowa
Wind became more of a factor as Carleton took on Iowa in a game where Syzygy dictated the pace. Carleton took the first upwind break to go up 2-1. After trading a few more points, Carleton converted on a backhand break from Taylor Want to Anna Reed for another break to take half 8-6.
This game saw a barrage of powerful forehand hucks from Reed for Syzygy, who put the disc early and to space, finding wide open receivers downfield. Reed’s control of the disc allowed her to drop inside-out and outside-in deep bombs to hit her receivers in stride. Even when a defender was in sight, her precise throws were put out of their reach to find a Syzygy player. Because Reed’s hucks were such a threat in transition, Saucy marks took a huge step off and went straight up, allowing her to pass to Want and Kirstie Barton (who dominated at Seattle Academy in high school). Saucy was unable to effectively shut down Reed, Want, and Barton all at the same time, giving the Syzygy handling core a choice of throws to advance with the disc on a turn.
Out of half, Carleton converted another point off of a poach D. Iowa, fighting to stay in the game, took advantage of a miscommunication that allowed Liza Minor to streak deep without a defender. Chelsea Twohig threw deep to Minor, who continued to Jen Nowak, to bring Iowa within two points, Carleton up 9-7.
Saucy could not shut down the explosive Carleton transition offense, allowing Syzygy to pull away with the 15-9 win. Carleton’s offense did not miss a beat despite only having 12 healthy bodies after quarters, and was notably missing Julia Snyder, who was sidelined for the important games on Sunday. Adding Snyder will give Syzygy an incredibly dynamic athlete who has the ability to punish any mismatch with the disc in her hands or in the hands of any one of her talented handler teammates.
Iowa State vs. North Carolina
Both of these teams demonstrated roster depth and creativity on the field all weekend long. Both teams lost standout players from 2012, but showed that they will be contenders this season, making this match-up one that could not be missed.
North Carolina received on offense to start the game. Both teams scored quickly in the first six points, trading to 3’s. Iowa State seized the opportunity to go up a break in the upwind end zone, hoping to take control of the game, 4-3 Woman Scorned. UNC made a huge statement by winning the next marathon of a point to tie at 4’s.
ISU’s rookie Brittnee Grimshaw, who literally started playing ultimate less than two weeks ago, stepped up against experienced defenders. She was involved in the next two Woman Scorned scores: after streaking deep, she assisted to Becca Miller and then caught the next goal. Finding talent like Grimshaw attests to Woman Scorned’s ability to recruit throughout the year and turn every player into an asset. Give this girl a few months, and she will be a monster.
Shellie Cohen’s upwind forehands helped to keep the Pleiades’ offensive options open. Marks struggled to contain her throwing arsenal, having to choose what to take away. Iowa State tended to shift their marks to contain her break throws, allowing her to put it deep to endless UNC cutters streaking deep. This game was a huge breakout for Lisa Couper, who ripped down an incredible number of Cohen’s hucks over ISU defenders who were in place to make a play. Cohen and Couper worked their connection to tie the game at 6’s. The Pleiades, wanting to take control, converted on a break off of a run-through block by Bridget Walsh to put the game on serve, 7-6, Pleiades.
Kendall Beadleson, another UNC player who notably stepped up her game this weekend on both sides of the disc, was often matched up against ISU standouts. Beadleson pressured Cami Nelson’s backhand, shutting down several options offensively for ISU, but Nelson used the opportunity to get off a huge forehand to Northern Iowa transfer student Kelly Smith, tying the game at 7’s. ISU pulled out a strong break D-line, setting up a zone. Cohen found a hole for a big advance. Beadleson threw to Emma Johnson to take half 8-7.
In the second half Kaira Carter led the Woman Scorned defensive charge to regain the lead. ISU converted on a pair of Carter D’s, helping her team to go up 12-10 in a game to 14.
This was an exciting game where both teams were able to showcase many different facets of their game styles. Both teams are versatile and play incredible defense. One thing giving Iowa State an advantage is the chemistry of their top players. Having so many years to develop the Magon Liu, Becca Miller, Sarah Pesch, Cami Nelson connection, you simply cannot shut it down. If you put your standout defenders on any two of them, they will change their game plan to allow more touches for any mismatch. If you try to shut them all down, their rookies step up in huge ways and find themselves wide open downfield. I’d love to see Couper matchup with Miller in the future, as these two are pure athletes and play a similar game style.
Everyone who wasn’t there: be excited to see this matchup again at a later tournament (maybe Centex? Nationals?).
Finals
Carleton vs. Iowa State
Last time these two teams squared off was in the backdoor finals of 2012 Regionals and Iowa State knocked Carleton out of a trip to the College Championships. This game was closer, cleaner, and more of an offensive battle than the last one.
If you took away a couple of points, you could have filmed this game to showcase the best offensive plays that the tournament had to offer — patiently hitting open options, making huge plays, throwing a variety of throws, using the crosswind. There were few defensive plays for either team, as both teams were so dominant offensively, that one really did not shut out the other. At this point in the season, this screamed great things for the North Central Region, who tends to only out-perform in adverse weather conditions. When the weather was gorgeous, these two teams outshone every other team at the tournament offensively. Knowing the depth of disc skills on both teams, I would bet that if the wind was 35 mph, there was horizontal sleet/rain, or even a foot of snow, they would have performed just as well.
ISU capitalized on a first-point Carleton turn, which could be chalked up to an uncharacteristic offensive miscommunication. Cami Nelson threw a huge huck to Becca Miller who made an incredible layout grab. Dump, score, Iowa State up a break 1-0. The teams trade to half, but don’t overlook the offensive highlights:
- ISU rookies Linda Behrer and Brittnee Grimshaw stepped it up again, grabbing hucks and unders from the returner core.
- Carleton’s Anna Reed found a wide open Emily Buckner for a monster layout score to tie the game at 7’s
- Magon Liu skying a pack in the endzone for a score
Carleton got its first break out of half, with Reed tallying another Syzygy assist and tying the game at 8’s. One break was not enough for Carleton, who earned two more: one from a turn caused by a junk D-set, and one from the defensive play of the game. Buckner had a ridiculous layout D, setting up a big huck from Lucia Childs-Walker to Bri Rick, allowing Syzygy to go up 10-8 over Woman Scorned.
ISU regrouped, and chipped away at the lead. Grimshaw toed the line on what could have been an errant throw by Becca Miller, resulting in a score to tie the game at 11’s and sway the momentum back in their favor. Woman Scorned won the longest point of the game to regain the lead, going up 12-11.
Carleton took advantage of an overthrow by Magon Liu to Kelly Smith. Taylor Want advanced to Grace Quintana, who put a huge forehand huck to Emily Buckner. Buckner to Reed to tie at 12’s. Both teams score to tie the game at 13-13, forcing universe point. Carleton pulled the disc. ISU’s Sarah Pesch made a strike cut, throwing to Cami Nelson who pulled in the winning goal, 14-13 Iowa State.
Iowa State’s top players performed extremely well this weekend; however, what won the tournament was Woman Scorned’s ability to surprise every team with their deep roster. Despite having only 14 girls at the tournament, ISU used every single player effectively. “Using everyone is a function of low roster numbers, just as much as experience,” said Iowa State Coach Kevin Seiler. “Brittnee attended four practices after never having played in high school. She scored five goals in the finals, which is incredible.”
If Iowa State can keep developing its newer players, the team is set up to peak much later than they did last season.
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