Like Lindenwood University, Life University has featured in the previous three DI Elite National Championships, and has finished runner-up since 2018. Both programs are still relatively young, and so these experiences are super valuable in building tradition and expectations. Maybe that doesn’t soothe the immediate sting of losing, but it will lend context to future gains.
Lindenwood was heavily favored in Saturday night’s championship. The Lions had veteran leadership and consistency on their side, and the players combined for a lot of championship experience. The Running Eagle had two players who competed in all three of its DI Elite championship appearances: Graduating senior flyhalf Sydnee Cervinski and senior hooker Makayla Lowe, who will return as a fifth-year next season. Senior locks Morgan Crossfield and Kennedy Keith are also graduating this spring, meaning 12 of 15 starters from the national final will return in 2021-22.
“Overall they’re really proud of their performance,” Life University head coach Chou said. “This was our third time [in the national final] and everyone said it was a noticeable difference in terms of comfort level and managing nerves and everything like that. We’re in a good place in terms of saying goodbye to our seniors, and everyone is looking to the future and hungry to get better.”
There was some movement in Life’s roster that impacted game day. Senior co-captain and scrumhalf Sylina Flowers sustained a season-ending injury before the semifinals, but Sophie Pyrz had been putting in time at fullback and scrumhalf during the season. The grad student spent the run-up to the final training with the USA 7s team in Chula Vista, so Tatum Johnson, who played inside center all season, started at nine for both playoff games. It was a tough situation for Johnson, who was having a great season at inside center, just because any personnel change at the position will have an impact, and it was happening at the most intense part of the year.
Meanwhile, Saher Hamdan returned from USA 15s residency in time for a week’s worth of training in advance of the final.
“I thought she did a great job, especially squaring up our back line and running good lines to preserve space for the rest of the backs,” Chou said of the inside back. “We loved having Saher back. Obviously she wasn’t in the position [hooker] that she’s been training for with the U.S., but she played 12 for us all last year and was great.”
Chou agreed that, yes, there’s a compromise involved with players participating in high-performance assemblies when Life’s in season, but 2021 was a special case. Covid-19 meant no security in a season or a final, so while players are always supported in their national-level pursuits, they were also encouraged to take opportunities that were guaranteed.
“Kate Buzby,” Chou continued to praise standouts whose availability fluctuated. “In her first game against Lindenwood, she made it 20 minutes. And then in the home game against Lindenwood, she made it to half. At the Central [Washington] home game, she didn’t make it to half. She’s had a long recovery from an injury she got in high school, and so she didn’t play at all last year.
“To have her play 60 minutes on Saturday … she’s just so physical,” the coach continued. “More than anything, she is the best teammate to people. She’s always bringing them up, encouraging them, giving them hugs. I wish people knew that about her. She’s powerful with a lot of skill, and she’s a great teammate.”
The field also got a glimpse of freshman Brooklyn Vaifanua, whom Chou recommended to USA Women’s 15s head coach Rob Cain as a must-watch. The flanker quickly worked into the varsity back row and thrived, but was unable to compete during this fourth quarter and thus the playoffs.
Life got down 29-0 after approximately 30 minutes of play, but it started to link some positive opportunities. Cervinski – whom Cain credited with a very good game – reacted quickly to a Lindenwood knock-on and moved the ball to center Pepe Toomalatai. The freshman worked the defense and timed the pass to wing Adrionna Duncan for the corner try. The duo teamed up again on the other side of the half, with Toomalatai setting up Duncan for a second score, making it 29-12. Both earned high marks from Chou – Toomalatai for her distributing abilities, and Duncan for running at pace and catching everything.
But Life couldn’t turn that momentum into a turning point for the rest of the match. Although down to 14 players, Lindenwood ran in two tries during the subsequent 10 minutes to restore the point differential.
“Lindenwood scored right away, and that’s what championship teams do,” Chou said. “We always used to say with the [Atlanta Harlequins], the most vulnerable time to get scored on is right after you score. With a younger team, we had a lapse and couldn’t hold onto that moment.”
Lindenwood went on to win 54-12.
“We realized we have a lot of work to do, and we’re really young,” the coach continued. “With 12 starters coming back, these sophomores and juniors have championship experience now, and they’ll be joined by players coming up from J.V. and good recruits coming in.”
Chou is also excited to have more alumnae feature on the coaching staff. It lends a new, connective element to the program.
“Since we’re such a young program, we’ve had men’s alumni [on staff] but none of our own graduates until recently, but now it’ll be normal to see our players come through and be grad assistants,” Chou said. “This year, you kind of saw the team grow mentally and culturally, and I attribute that to the support of the staff. The players look up to them because, ‘You’ve been through what I’ve been through, and you know what it’s like to wear this jersey.'”
The team is off for the whole week – not even S&C – and when it reconvenes, it will be in 7s mode. Chou has also made this training block optional.
“They are so excited for 7s,” Chou said. “Tropical 7s was such a pivotal moment in our season. I’ve never seen them grow so close so quickly that they’re just so jazzed for 7s. We have some really exciting 7s players – Sophie Pryz, Su Adegoke, Adrionna Duncan, Malery [Billingy]. We have all those ARPTC players, Saher, Buzby, Wantlin – and Kayla Pemasa! I wish you could have seen her at Tropical 7s!”
Life will host its 7s tournament on May 15-16 and then participate in the CRC May Madness 7s, which is now run by National Collegiate Rugby.
“We’re managing expectations,” Chou said of CRCs. “It was such a huge thing for Life [when United World Sports ran it], but we know that the format might be different and so we need to be prepared for that. We’re still going to enjoy it as the culminating 7s event.”