Gullatta started the second half with a penalty goal, and that was quickly followed by another Davis breakaway.
Now into the final quarter, Wheeling iced it with a Bri Lomu try after a galop down the sideline and cut back inside. Alexis Dallas scored a few minutes later. Penn State got their first try after that to make it 46-10, but Wheeling wrapped it all up with Gullatte forcing a turnover and taking it to the house. She converted, as well, to take her personal tally to 22 points on the day.
So we come to the final game of the new NCR Women's D1, which featured seven teams in two divisions. Wheeling has been dominant in this competition and will be favored going into the final in Houston December 6.
Wheeling is indeed listed at 11-0 but two of those wins are forfeits, and one of those forfeit wins (against Davenport) was played and Davenport won it. So, let's, instead, look at the games played in an official way. In those nine games, Wheeling outscored their opponents 694-61, that makes for an average scoreline of 77-7.
For Southern Nazarene, the forfeit beast has been even more voracious. Expecting to play 13 games, the Crimson Storm actually only played six. Seven games were either forfeits or canceled. That's somewhat shocking and does a disservice to everyone involved.
Their last match before this past playoff game, was on October 25.
In the games they played, SNU was 5-1, losing 83-0 to Life but beating BYU, Oklahoma, Aquinas, Grand Canyon, and Texas State by an average score of 70-7. Outside of the Life game (Life was not invited to the NCR D1 league), 85% of SNU's points conceded were by BYU on Saturday.
Well what did BYU do to test you guys. Most points you've given up all season!
"We knew BYU would be well-coached," said SNU Head Coach Aric Gilliland, who would coach this game and then fly to Buffalo to run his men's team in a playoff game a day later.
"They just kept coming. We gained momentum but they never quite."
But Gilliland felt that his Crimson Storm team could do the basics—run, pass, and tackle—well.
"We have some dynamic players, but we're much better as a unit of 15, and that has been our focus."
Telesi Uhatafe had been at the USA women's 7s camp and came back to catch up on school and play in this match. She was huge on the day, a vocal leader and director.
She also can make breakaways and sets up scoring chances, too.
Vivianne Wright, who is a transfer from Central Washington, has been outstanding on the wing as a playmaker, while Jillian Mataele is one who started the fall on fire, got hurt, and came back to anchor the midfield
When Mataele moved out to the wing, Ella Segovia came in at center and intercepted a BYU pass late in the game to stymie the Cougars' comeback. Add to that backline Chloe Tarango, who runs things well at scrumhalf, especially on defense, and Ireland Jeffrey, who was a soccer player at Colorado Christian and is playing a grade year at fullback for the SNU rugby team. She can kick, has vision, and scored twice on long runs.
With Chloe Tarango running everything, especially the defense, at scrumhalf, and graduate hooker Lauren Anderson also making big stops on defense, while wing Jaylyn Isaacs helped keep the Cougar outside backs at bay, the Crimson Storm weathered the inevitable BYU comeback to win and make Decembers final.
Riley Erickson's penalty goal with 15 minutes left put SNU ahead by two scored and that was crucial.
