Newly-named MA Sorensen Award-winner Keia Mae Sagapolu will captain the USA U23 women vs. Brazil Saturday, June 3 at Nicolau Alayon Stadium in Sao Paulo.
The game will be shown live on Brazil Rugby’s YouTube Channel>> KO is 2PM ET.
Sagapolu is joined by Lauren Frridge and Queenette Toomalatai in the USA front row and her Central Washington University teammate (and Sorensen nominee) Tessa Hann starts at flanker.
Three other Sorensen finalists start Saturday, with Dartmouth flyhalf Kristen Bitter partnering with Lindenwood scrumhalf Tain Tukuafu, and also Harvard’s Tiahna Padilla rounding out the 9-10-12 Sorensen line.
Former Sorensen Award winner Emily Henrich, who is back to health after a rough fall, starts at outside center.
Two high-schoolers are in the Gameday 23 with sisters Reece and Olivia Woods out of Eagle HS in Idaho both being named on the bench.
Dartmouth Head Coach Katie Dowty is Head Coach of this USA U23 team, with Harvard Head Coach Mel Denham and Dartmouth Assistant Lisa Jackson also on the staff.
"It is critical for promising young players to be exposed to the pace, physicality, and level of detail required at the international level," Dowty told USA Rugby before the trip. "Most critically, our rising Eagles need more experience playing under pressure and we fully expect Brazil and Colombia to bring that. For our veterans, this is a chance to take the reins and prove their ability to play at pace, manage pressure, and dictate the game. For our younger players, it will be eye-opening and inspiring exposure to the demands of the international game – and we fully expect them all to bring a new level of dynamism to our play that makes us very excited about the future."
