Canada Wins Again in Chula Vista

Canada made it a perfect two-for-two as they ended the Can-Am Series in Chula Vista with a convincing 37-10 win over the Women’s Eagles on Saturday afternoon. The USA took a step forward from the 39-5 result on Tuesday but once again could not contend with the experience and forward pressure of the confident Canadians.

A try to skipper Kelly Russell just five minutes in from the back of a scrum set the stage with Magali Harvey adding the conversion, the first of 17 points in all scored by the 2014 IRB Women’s Player of the Year. Julianne Zussman was next up with the fullback diving into the corner after the USA defense had been stretched. It was Harvey finding the same result 20 minutes later as the ball passed connected with six pairs of hands to make it a 17-0 game through to the break.

The USA finally found some much-needed momentum early in the second half as they recreated Harvey’s try via Naya Tapper, with the left wing stepping inside the cover to touch down. After a dozen minutes of stalemate Harvey made good on a penalty attempt to restore the three-score gap.

Harvey looked to have sparked another opportunity soon after as she skipped past a trio of defenders but her offload was off-target and Alev Kelter showed deft footwork to corral the loose ball. An offload to Tess Feury nearly put the replacement winger away but for the despairing tackle of Brittany Waters. The ball was recycled quickly and this time there was no stopping Catie Benson as the prop fought through two tacklers to fall over the line.

All thoughts of completing the comeback were dispersed just moments later when Emily Belchos showed her own strength to fend off Kelter en route to Canada’s fourth try. Belchos was again front and center almost immediately, this time showing her footballing skills with a perfectly executed grubber bouncing up into the hands of Elissa Alarie, with Harvey’s conversion all but ending the contest. The winger would add a second try just before full-time to round out the scoring for the day.

Both sides now move on to the next stage of their World Cup preparations. Canada will travel to New Zealand in June to face England, Australia, and the Black Ferns. The USA have yet to confirm any further World Cup warm-up matches.

SCORING

USA 10
Tries – N. Tapper (42′), C. Benson (58′)

CANADA 37
Tries – K. Russell (5′), J. Zussman (14′), M. Harvey 2 (33′, 77′), E. Belchos (61′), E. Alarie (64′)
Cons – M. Harvey 2 (6′, 65′)
Pens – M. Harvey (55′)

TEAMS

USA
1 Tiffany Faaee (capt.), 2 Joanna Kitlinski, 3 Catie Benson, 4 Stacey Bridges, 5 Molly Kinsella, 6 Christiane Pheil, 7 Sara Parsons, 8 Jordan Gray, 9 AnnaKaren Pedraza, 10 Nicole Heavirland, 11 Naya Tapper, 12 Alev Kelter, 13 Ryan Carlyle, 14 Kristen Thomas, 15 Jessica Wooden

Replacements: 16 Phaidra Knight, 17 Naima Reddick, 18 Jamila Reinhardt, 19 Alycia Washington, 20 Kristine Sommer, 21 Kelly Griffin, 22 Kayla Canett, 23 Tess Feury

CANADA
1 Carolyn McEwen, 2 Laura Russell, 3 DaLeaka Menin, 4 Tyson Beukeboom, 5 Latoya Blackwood, 6 Jacey Grusnick, 7 Karen Paquin, 8 Kelly Russell (capt.), 9 Chelsea Guthrie, 10 Emily Belchos, 11 Magali Harvey, 12 Amanda Thornborough, 13 Brittany Waters, 14 Elissa Alarie, 15 Julianne Zussman

Replacements: 16 Mary-Jane Kirby, 17 Brittany Kassil, 18 Olivia DeMerchant, 19 Kayla Mack, 20 Cindy Nelles, 21 Lori Josephson, 22 Andrea Burk, 23 Anaïs Holly

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Rose LaBrèche (RC)
Assistants: Kurt Weaver (USAR) & Lee Bryant (USAR)