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Originally posted by Alex Goff at Goff Rugby Report | Edits made to include the event's proper title and competition information  With a weird number of teams in the Women's Signes Cup at the National 7s Championships some seeding games had to be played on Day One.
So we know a little bit more than we would normally know. Still, here's what happened: Several teams had trouble connecting the dots early, but as time went on the teams that had enjoyed time together—Scion, ARPTC, Life West, WAC—started to show well. Pool A Scion crushed all before them, racing through their pool without allowing a point and scoring 130 in three games. Yes, it really was that oppressive. Scion had pace to torch you on the outside and the power and understanding of space to hurt you on the inside. ORSU kind of hung with them, and that proved to be prescient as the Oregon side beat Chicago and Santa Monica to take 2nd. Pool B In a pool of only three teams, Life West just needed two wins to take the pool and they got them, showcasing a more physical approach to the game. Still they gave up only the one try. Perhaps the surprise teams was Rocky Mountain Magic, which ran in three tries to NOVA's two in the opening game of the day to win, barely, 15-14. Pool C This pool of three almost ended up 1-1 for everyone as the Boston Belles caused ARPTC all kinds of issues. Twice the Boston team took the lead only to see ARPTC come back. The Arkansas squad retained their composure nicely, got some good work from Alli Hale and Autumn Locicero, who was exceptional out wide, to pull away 21-14. Hale scored the winner. Tempe finished 2nd at 1-1 and they also pushed ARPTC. Pool D Smooth as you like and physically tough, as well, Washington Athletic Club rolled past Chicago North Shore 38-12 and Optimus 32-14 to take this pool. So all of that set up some early seeding matches. WAC took care of Tempe, Life West beat Optimis, and ARPTC rolled past Rocky Mountain 40-5. Those results were seeding games for the quarterfinals, and set up the following: Scion vs Tempe WAC vs Rocky Mountain Life West vs ORSU ARPTC vs Optimus There seems to be a marked difference between the top four and the rest. In the Bowl Bracket, Boston Belles kept their momentum going and logged their first win, beating Chicago North Shore 19-5. What that did was funnel North Shore to play their rivals Chicago Lions, the best of the non-quarterfinalists, in one Bowl semi. Boston now awaits the winner of Sunday's NOVA vs Santa Monica game to clash to fill out the other semi. The Belles, however, had perhaps the most impressive performances for a team that lost their pool games. |
