USA Ultimate

UCSB is no stranger to the College Championships Finals, making their fourth consecutive appearance this weekend.  The Burning Skirts have skyrocketed to the top of the college women’s division over the past five years, losing in the College Championships Finals in 2007 and 2008, before winning it all in 2009, with stellar field leadership from alums Andrea Romano and Katie Barry, and impressive play from current stars Kaela Jorgenson, Carolyn Finney, and Marie Madaras.  The Skirts have wowed the college ultimate world with their athleticism, chemistry, and inspired play, and have built one of the strongest, most well-respected programs on the West Coast.  A strong core of current players have played together year-round for the past two seasons, on the Skirts in the college division and on the Lady Condors in the club division, giving them a level of familiarity with each other matched by few college teams.

UCSB’s path to the Finals included them avenging their Regional Finals loss to USC 15-9, and taking down hometown favorite University of Wisconsin 16-14, outscoring Bella Donna 5-1 at the end of the game to nab a spot in the finals.  Jorgenson, Finney, and Madaras are arguably the best trio of players on any college team, and they have provided a great deal of leadership on the field for UCSB this season.  The Skirts’ showing in the Semifinals was especially impressive as they overcame an early deficit, with Jorgenson, Finney, and Madaras literally willing their team to win.

The past few years have marked the return of the University of Oregon to the top of the college women’s game.  Fugue qualified for the College Championships in 2008, beating dynasty Stanford Superfly on universe point to send the team to the Championships for the first time since 2002.  Oregon narrowly missed qualifying for the championship bracket, losing a close Pre-Quarters game to University of Wisconsin that year.  Last season, Oregon played their way into the Semifinals, knocking off University of Ottawa en route to its strongest finish of the decade.  This year, Fugue has been the team to beat, with a nearly flawless season.  The only blemish on its record was a loss to University of Wisconsin in the finals of Women’s College Centex, but Oregon bounced back, winning the ultra-competitive Northwest Region on universe point over University of Washington. 

Fugue was unchallenged over the course of the College Championships, beating UCLA in 15-5 in Quarterfinals and University of Colorado 15-4 in Semifinals.  Oregon’s roster is stacked with athletes and has a dozen players who could easily be the top player on most other college teams.  Led by handlers Julia Sherwood, Molly Suver, and Jenica Villamor, Fugue has the ability to both work the disc down the field and make the big exciting plays with athletes like Claire Sharman, Tina Snodgrass, and Bailey Zahniser in the mix.  Oregon also has ten players on their roster who played ultimate in high school, with Suver, Zahniser, Shannon McDowell, and Kimber Coles being four of the most well-known former youth players on the West Coast.  While none of Fugue’s players had ever played in the finals of the College Championships prior to this weekend, coaches Lou Burruss, Ryann Crowley, and Clare Gordon had their team well-prepared for the task at hand.  Burruss is well known as being one of the best minds in ultimate, and his arrival to the Oregon ultimate program has been key to the team’s rise to the top.

Fugue’s easy-going team identity was evident as captains Sherwood, Snodgrass, and Villamor put their arms around each other and skipped back to their team after the flip.  Oregon looked relaxed and wasted no time walking in their first offensive point to make it 1-0.  A UCSB drop gave Oregon an immediate opportunity for a break, and Sherwood sent a huck to Morgan Zajonc off a dish pass to make it 2-0.  On the next point, McDowell got the D and Oregon utilized the full field to make it 3-0 on a Sherwood huck to Coles.  Oregon’s offense runs through so many players that it is impossible to shut them down by just trying to contain one or two key players.  The big throws can come from any number of handlers, and all of the receivers are so athletic that there is little opportunity to poach and try to help on defense.

At 3-0, UCSB called a timeout to regroup and refocus.  Oregon’s defense was extremely effective as they put on an aggressive mark and have the defender of the strong side handler sag off to take away the huck and challenge the open side throws.  Oregon got one more break to make it 5-1, and UCSB just missed on huck attempts from Jorgenson to Finney and from Finney to Stephanie Karba before Emily Bass hit Briana Cahn to make it 2-5.  On the next point Bass got a huge D in the endzone, but Christina Wickman laid out for the deflection to make it 6-2, Oregon.  Jorgenson, Madaras, and Finney controlled the disc for the Skirts and maintained possession well, but the big throws to space that are such an integral part of their offense were relatively contained by the Oregon defense.  Suver and Sherwood would throw one more goal apiece to take half for Oregon 8-3. 

Out of the gate at half, Madaras made an outstanding read on a huck from Jorgenson to make it 4-8.  UCSB would then come down with a big 4-person cup.  Oregon attacked this with Sherwood and Suver popping into the cup as handlers and working the disc down the sideline.  The lack of wind also enabled the handlers to throw big looping throws around the cup.  The Skirts were able to generate a turn with their zone and a Madaras crossfield throw to Finney made the game 5-8.  The teams would trade out to 11-8, Oregon, but Fugue was determined to put the game way.  UCSB turned the disc over twice on huck attempts and Oregon converted, McDowell to Villamor to make it 12-8.  Another UCSB turn gave Oregon a short field to make it 13-8 and a big Zajonc handblock and score made it 14-8.  On the last point, Callahan Top 5 Finisher Sherwood made one last big play for her team, getting a big layout block, and Oregon put the game away 15-8.

The win capped off a fairytale season for Oregon and the return of the College Championships title to the Northwest Region.  Congratulations to Fugue on an amazing year and on a well-deserved championship!