Beantown heads to Denver, CO for the National Championship Match after a victory against Pittsburgh.
First, a brief history lesson is necessary in order to really understand this game. In the spring of 2014, an under-staffed Beantown D2 side met the Pittsburgh Angels in Pittsburgh in the semifinals of the D2 Nationals and were trounced 99-0. This year, Pittsburgh moved up to D1 and arrived in Charlotte to face Beantown’s D1 side in another hot, dusty match in the semifinals of the D1 Nationals.
In the first minute of the game, it appeared Pittsburgh would start with the advantage, when they marched straight down the field using very wide punch balls to score…or maybe not. Instead of a try, the ref blew the whistle and called play back for a forward pass.
After that wakeup call, Beantown put the first points on the board with a try from Ali and a conversion from Jones. Pittsburgh responded with their won try by the 10 minute mark – but before the half, Beantown pulled well ahead with three additional tries, to be up 24-7 at halftime.
The first minute of the second half felt like deja vu – except this time Beantown was the team into the tryzone within seconds, and this time the try was NOT called back. Pittsburgh still hung in there, using their wide punches effectively and keeping Beantown working hard. But the strength of Beantown’s bench came into play, as sub after strong, fresh sub came on, making a clear and obvious impact on the pitch. Pittsburgh got two more tries in the second half, but Beantown answered with three for a decisive final score of 48-17.
Read the play-by-play on Storify
Halftime score: 24-7
Final score vs. Pittsburgh: 48-17
Beantown Tries: Ali, Jones (2), JP, Kat P (2), Kate O, and Mary; Conversions: Jones (4)
The next step after this victory is traveling to Denver, CO for the National Championship! Big thanks to all of our fans, near and far. Players are feeling the support of friends, family, and alums, near and far. Particular thanks to the generosity of those who have made a donation to our fundraising page. If you’ve not given yet, please consider making a gift today.