In sunny and warm Charlotte, Beantown kicked off at 3:15 against Chicago North Shore for the 2015 quarterfinal match.
The first half began with a grueling 10 minutes of defense. Chicago battered against Town’s line, pushing all the way into Beantown’s half – but wasn’t able to convert. The next 20 minutes, though, were all Beantown’s, starting with a 3-point penalty kick by Jones and followed by a try from Kat P. and another successful kick from Jones. But in the final 10 minutes Beantown lost momentum and Chicago took advantage, responding with their own 3-point penalty kick from the 40m line and an (unconverted) try, sending the teams into half with Beantown only 2 points ahead.
After the half, Beantown came out fired up and moved almost immediately into Chicago’s half. But Chicago’s defense held strong, keeping Beantown out for twenty minutes – until fresh legs made the difference, with Moose punching a ball into the try zone right under the posts. Jones (on point with her kicks) converted – and not long after, took a penalty kick right in front of the posts for another 3 points. As the 80th minute approached, Town’s energy increased (thanks in part to several strategic subs), and in the final minutes, JP snatched a pass from between Chicago’s centers for a final 5 points. In the actual final minute, Chicago responded with an additional try (no conversion) – but the match was over and Beantown won! It’s on to the semifinal game against Pittsburgh on Sunday!
Read the play-by-play: https://storify.com/BeantownRFC/vs-chicago-north-shore-d1-2015-quarter-final-match
Halftime score: 10-8
Final score vs. Chicago North Shore: 25-13
Beantown tries: Kat, Moose, JP; Conversions: Jones (2); Penalty kicks: Jones (2)
Click to see photos of the match, courtesy of Lynne Skilken
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