USA U20 Women Win Second NACRA Game

Jozy Gessner scores for the U20 WNT

Nssau, Bahamas. The U20 Women’s National Team beat the Caribbean Select Side 30-7 on six tries from Jozy Gessner (2), Bex Seibach (2), Katie Humphreys and Alycia Washington.

With temperatures in the mid 90’s at game time the weather was always going to be a factor. In the same fashion as the first game, the USA came out of the gate fast and were prepared to play a creative, expansive game. Unfortunately a lack of composure and fatigue from the heat turned from creative to error strewn as the U20’s squandered several opportunities to get on the scoreboard early. Territorially the U20‘s dominated the first half but failed to convert pressure into points and were especially careless in the opposition twenty-two. With passes not going to hand, silly penalties and two players dropping the ball in the act of scoring they went into half time with a slim 10-7 lead on two well taken tries from Bex Seibach and Jozy Gessner,

The second half saw the U20’s come together as some personal changes created a different chemistry on the field. A shoulder high tackle from Rachel Ryan that was possibly more spectacular than dangerous brought out yellow card but the team was settled at that point and continues to dominate large passages of the game. Tries from Katie Humphreys and Alycia Washington were well deserved rewards for a pair of locks who had run hard all day. Bex Seibach and Jozy Gessner both notched up second scores as the U20’s calmed the nerves to run out 30-7 winners.

Head Coach Bryn Chivers was clearly disappointed with the quality of the game but not the outcome, “It was an ugly win but a win is a win. The team chemistry of Sunday was missing today and it turned into a game where you just grind out the win and move on.”
Chivers was happy with the play of some of the individuals and pointed out second rows Katie Humphreys of Kent, Washington and also to UConn’s Alycia Washington as players worth mentioning. “I thought both the locks did well today and they were still running hard at the end of the game. It’s rare for a big lock to put in an MVP like performance in ninety degree heat and yet both of them got out there and played eighty minutes of team rugby and both deserved a try apiece”.

The win puts the U20 WNT at the top of the NACRA standings at the end of pool play and they face the Canada U20’s in the final on Friday. The game kicks off at 5.00 PM at the Winton Rugby Center in Nassau, Bahamas

USA U20 WNT 30 Caribbean Select Side 7
Tries. Jozy Gessner (2), Bex Seibach (2), Katie Humphreys, Alycia Washington.

1 Wendy Sherman Colorado State (Replaced by Ryan) (Replaced by Sager)
2 Katie Hathaway Norwich
3 Brittany Rose Unnatached
4 Katie Humphreys Kent, WA
5 Alycia Washington U Conn
6 Amee Svatos Canby, OR
7 Katie Johnson Hopkins, MN (Replaced by Anderson)
8 Candace Barley Lee Univeristy (Replaced by Lewis)
9 Jozy Gesssner Colorado State.
10 Hannah Lockwood Oregon State
11 Rebecca Seibach Women’s Cougar Rugby
12 Bui Baravilala Aliamanu, Hawaii
13 Star Bolinger Women’s Cougar Rugby
14 Brittany O’Brien U of Rhode Island (Replaced by McKnight)
15 Chelsea Garber Brown

16 Rachel Ryan U of Wyoming
17 McKenzie Lewis Mesa State
18 Kelly Sager Penn State
19 Kiki McKnight U of Centaral Florida
20 Anne Marie Bowlus U of California - Santa Cruz
21 Holly Zoeller U of North Carolina
22 Hailey Anderson Summit, CO