WPL Match Summary & Video – Glendale Raptors vs Berkeley All Blues by Mark Bullock

Match Summary
In a close contest played at Infinity Park in Glendale before 280 spectators the Berkeley All Blues came out on top in a nail biter, 32 – 27.

The Raptors were first on the board at two minutes when Raptors scrum half Brittany Houston grubbed threw a kick to re-gather and side step her way for a converted try, 7 – 0. The All Blues would take charge in the sixteenth minute as they would run in three quick tries, two to center Jill Whitfield, who created difficulty for Glendale with her powerful running. Number eight Liz Terry scored between the Whitefield trys on a short five meter burst from a scrum. Each try was converted by flyhalf Ruth Bryson, who had a superb day with the boot.

The Raptors would finally recover with a try from Hannah Stolba following a quick tap penalty for a high tackle. Stolba would convert the try and add a penalty kick in the thirty-eighth minute to narrow the gap to 21 – 17, Berkeley. The accurate Bryson would slot a kick at the half to put the ALL Blues back up by a try 25 – 17.

The start of the second half saw Stobla and Bryson once again exchange successful penalty kicks. Glendale fullback Tonya Ansel would score the first try of the half off of a multiphase attack that allowed her to score a converted try to level the score at 27 – 27.

As both teams attempted to break the deadlock, Berkeley struck pay dirt in the seventy-eighth minute when a kick was misplayed by Glendale and the All Blues recovered to move the ball wide to the left for wing Alyssa Baccarella to sprint in for the deciding score. With less than two minutes left, Glendale recovered the ball and moved it right, then left, and back right to drive the ball over the line, but a courageous Berkeley defense keep the ball from being grounded as the referee blew the final whistle for a well deserve All Blue win, 32 – 27.

Match Video

Week 3 Berkeley v Glendale from Women's Premier League Rugby on Vimeo.

View the complete 2012 WPL Schedule and Results here.

View all of the match reports from this season here.