MIdwest Final. The Panthers v University of Minnesota
- Duluth.
Sunday, November 11th, 2007 in Iowa Falls, IA
The Final will start at 4:00pm
Ulster Time, 11:00am Panther Time.
5:42 Full Time. It's all over with the Panthers
losing 12 - 38.
The coaches must be sacked.
(Opps thought I was at the Ulster game there!) Thanks to Suzanne
and Maggie for their help with the live text coverage. Hope everyone
enjoyed it.
5:38pmDespite brave defense
from the Panthers Duluth get another try. Score now 12 - 38.
5:36pmIt looks as time is going
to run out. Score still 12 -33.
5:28pmIt looks like the brave
Panther's run has come to an end as Duluth go over for
another try. The Score is now 12 - 33.
5:26pm Another penalty to Duluth.
12 - 28 and one of the Panthers is carded.
5:19pm Panthers still holding
on as we move into the final quarter. Have thay anything left?
5:11pmDuluth get another try.
Can the Panthers hold on for a last quarter blitz? Score 12 - 25
5:08pmDuluth get a penalty.
Panthers need two scores at 12 - 20.
4:59pmThe second half has just
started with Martin putting Ney through for a try. The Panthers are back 12 - 17.
4:48pmHalf Time.The gutsy Panthers are still hanging in there. Lets see if the
Coaches can inspire them for a second half comeback.
4:35pmPanthers continue to defend.
Can they hold on and tire out their bigger opponents?
4:29pm Panthers are under pressure
they are now down 7 -17. Is this a game too far?
4:22pmDuluth get a second Panthers
are down 7 - 10.
4:20pmScore is 7 - 5 to The
Panthers Biedenbender try, Gill converts.
4:08pmMatch has just kicked
off a little late.
3:55pmFive minutes to go. It's
16C overcast with a moderate breeze.
Semi Final Report From Coach Jeff Grossman.
A cold day in Iowa Falls. Wind 25mph.
Panthers win the toss and take the wind.
Fickau kicks off and the ball goes dead. Scrum
at halfway. Bowling Green scrum looks dominant, but the Panthers
fashion a chance out of nothing. Martin breaks
down the right touchline and outpaces the BG cover to score at 2:51 Fickau misses conversion.
Bowling Green is taking control through their dominance in scrums.
After a seemingly endless period inside the 10 meter line, BG breaks
the stubborn Panther defence at 22:14, conversion missed.
The Panthers are under enormous pressure in the scrum. A panicky
clearance kick leads to beautiful break by BG, whose continuity
drew ooh's and ahh's from the Panther sidelines and coaches. The
conversion is missed and BG leads 10-5. BG's fullback looks dangerous
every time she touches the ball.
The Panthers are struggling to put anything together offensively. Fickau fashions a play out of nowhere, turning
over the ball and kicking ahead. As she breaks through the BG defence
and kicks again, she is tacked by the BG outside center. The referee
has no hesitation going between the posts and awarding a penalty
try and a yellow card for the professional foul. Gill converts, The Panthers are back in front 12-10.
44:12: The Panthers are enjoying their first extended period of
pressure. Hausmann goes close but the Panthers
retain possession. Houston draws the defence and passes out to Thorne for the try. Gill misses the conversion, but the
Panthers go into the break leading 17-10.
Second half.
The second half is a back and forth affair. Both teams create excellent
chances only for desperate defence to recover and snuff out the
chances. The BG full back continues to threaten, while Biedenbender and Ney are caught by desperate tackles.
66:03: The smallest of holes in the Panther defence is enough for
the BG fullback. She's through the line and under the posts. BG
converts and the score is tied at 17.
The Panthers immediately reply and push deep into BG territory
and draw a penalty in front of the posts. Houston lines up for the kick but kicks it wide left.
72:00. Thorne is off with a blood injury. The
training staff works furiously to get her back on the pitch.
78:00. The Panthers break up the right, but Biedenbender is brought down by the pony tail. The referee goes again to the
pocket for the yellow card.
Extra time. Panthers win toss and play with the
wind.
5:36. The Panthers immediately attack and are stopped just short. Martin spots a gap and scores in the corner, Fickau misses the conversion.
10:32. The Panthers are again inside the BG 22. After a turnover, Fickau splits three BG defenders for a well earned
try. Gill misses the conversion, but the Panthers
are ahead 27-17.
Second period in extra time.
12:10. The Panthers have their tails up and attack right off the
kickoff. Unfortunately, they are penalized for diving over in the
ruck, and BG immediately finds their fullback in space. She outpaces
three Panthers and BG is right back in the match, trailing by 3
at 27-24.
19:43. Some nervous moments for the Panthers, but Ney and Schulz seem to be at every breakdown. Ney finds space on the outside and then spots Biedenbender flying down the touchline. Her pass is picture perfect and Biedenbender is in with an emphatic try. Fickau misses the conversion,
but it doesn't matter as the referee blows for full time.
Panthers win 32-24!
7:40pmGame is over and
the Panthers have won 32 - 24 AET in what appears to have been an
exciting match. Scorers are Martin (2), Thorne, Fickau and The Bied!
Full report will follow now that communication
has been restored!
7:30pm Just in - The Panthers
have drawn their semi final 17 - 17 against Bowling Green State
University. Mollie Martin and Julia Thorne touched down for the Panthers who were also awarded a penalty try
which was converted.
Extra time has started with a second try by Mollie
Martin and the unstoppable scoring machine that is Brittany
Biedenbender has got a second for the panthers in extra
time. Panthers lead 27 - 17.
6:00pm We have been unable to
resolve the issue. We'll get you the score as soon as we can.
5:30pm We are still having a
problem getting a signal from Iowa Falls.
5:15pmSorry folks we've had
a technical breakdown in our communications! That sort of weekend!
Check back later for scores!
5:05pm Five minutes in it's a
tense opening with no scores!
4:55pmFive minutes to go to
kick off can the Panthers succeed this weekend were Ulster failed?
Banek
Biedenbender
Boen
Faught
Fickau
Garnica
Gill
Hausman
Headley
Houston
Jensen
Johnson
Jones
Knox
Knurr
Lamountain
Martin
Mayer
McCormick
Murillo
Ney
Nusslock
Russell
Schreiner
Schulz
Thorne
Trott
Uher
Verhaegen
Welch
Winkowski
Yuhas
Final Review
Facing one of the most powerful teams in the
Midwest, the Panthers must find a way to make their opportunities
count in today's match.
The University of Minnesota - Duluth and the
Panthers have met twice in the past year, with Duluth gaining
the upper hand in each of the matches. In both, the size of
the Duluth squad eventually overwhelmed the much smaller Panther
forwards. "We lost every scrum in the second half of
our last match," recalls coach Jeff Grossman. "Still
we were right in the match, but couldn't break their defense
even though we spent much of the match inside their 22."
The Panthers will rely on two freshman props
to steady the scrum. Julia Thorne will return
to her previous slot at Loosehead prop, while Cori Jensen
will move to Tighthead. "When you talk about our crop
of freshman recruits, Cori is probably the last name that gets
mentioned, but she has played a huge role in our success this
season," says Grossman. "Cori has played
every position in the forward pack except Number Eight. She's
not the player who will score the flashy tries, but she's always
the player who helps win the rucks that create the pretty tries."
There are a few injury worries for today's
match as well. Amber Faught has a badly swollen
hand, but is determined to play. Lara Yuhas
dislocated her thumb, but is also is likely to make the subs
bench. Theresa Trott left yesterday's match
with severe leg cramps, but pronounced herself fit after a few
hours of bowling therapy last night. Mollie Martin
is likely to play after leaving the match with a strained quad.
Likely starters for the Lady Panthers are:
1. Thorne
2. Trott
3. Jensen
4. Hausmann
5. Schreiner
6. Faught/Murillo
7. Schulz
8. Ney
9. Houston
10. Gill
11. Verhaegen
12. Johnson
13. Fickau
14. Biedenbender
15. Martin
Semi Final Review.
The Panthers come into this weekend's Midwest
Final Four short two key players from their roster.
Prop Amy "Cheerleader" Mayer
has fallen short of her goal of playing this weekend and may
need surgery to repair her knee, which she injured in last Saturday's
playoff match against Winona State. Amy will travel with the
team this weekend and promises to provide occasional commentary
during the match.
Number Eight Kati McCormick
has family commitments this weekend, so will be unavailable.
Coach Jeff Grossman is guarded about the team's chances without
these key players. "It will be tough playing against
this level of competition without two of our most physical players.
We're a small team to start with, so taking two of our bigger
players out of the scrum and lineout are sure to suffer."
The Panthers do have one bright spot, though,
as Megan Schulz returns from a series of injuries
in time for this key match. "Megan's combination of experience,
desire, speed, and strength will be needed if we are to have
any success this weekend," said Coach Grossman. "Her
only limitation is her size, but I expect her to surprise some
people with her intensity."
BGSU is known to have a very capable fullback
who inserts off outside center and is a definite running threat
when given room to accelerate. "If we apply our normal
pressure defence and drift our back three to cover the lanes,
we will have a chance to stop their progress," commented
Coach Scot. "Obviously every team in this tournament
has earned their way here, and we have to take the [fullback]
threat very seriously."
Coach Scot is optimistic about the Panther's
chances in the Semifinal. "The key for the girls is
to leave the pressure and import of the match off the field.
These girls perform at their best when they 'are having fun.'
If we're mature enough to realize that playing an unfamiliar
opponent changes nothing, then we will be successful.
"Overall, we possess the capability
to win this match. Forwards. Backs. Individual players. The
units and individuals may matter less than how we function as
a collective. We've shown this year that we can play beyond
our size and produce beyond our individual means."
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