Presidents’ Day Invite 2023: the A to Zs of Reshuffled Pool Play (Women’s)

A is for – Abbi Shilts

There’s no getting around it: UCSD struggled on the second day of the Presidents’ Day Invite.A 2-2 record isn’t exactly eye-catching, and their victories weren’t particularly convincing.The team’s throwing depth is still lacking, forcing the wrong players to take shots they don’t have.But none of this applies to Abbi Shilts.
It’s a good thing UCSD’s star is a versatile player, because that’s exactly what she’s expected to do.

Shilts possesses the explosive energy to be the best defender on the field at all times, the field IQ to make the correct plays with the disc in hand, and the throwing prowess to huck it deep when her team requires such a shot.UCSD has yet to figure out their timing for her, but when they do, it will open up so much of the field for them simply by Shilts playing her game.

B is for – Bracket

Semis is set after two days of work.The two best Southwest teams in the tournament, UCSB and Stanford, are on one side of the bracket, while Oregon and Colorado are dominating forces on the other.UCSB, Stanford, and Colorado have yet to lose a game this tournament, while Oregon’s lone defeat came on a universe point against Stanford.It’s clear that these are the top four teams, which makes Monday’s games even more important.Because the new tournament format eliminated power pools in favour of reseeded pools, we haven’t seen the crossover that we were hoping for earlier.Semis is for all the marbles, and we’re finally getting the best teams playing each other with the stakes at their highest.

C is for – Coaches

The difference that good coaching can make is incredible.Oregon had a number of close games over the weekend, but they always seemed to pull away after their first timeout or at halftime.Stanford has never been shy about putting their coaches in the spotlight, and it’s well deserved.

Coaching staffs have grown significantly over the years.Whereas teams used to have a single coach or a coaching duo, now they have full committees of coaches to help players in any situation, whether it’s going over previous defensive points while another coach tackles the on-field play, or working with specific players on how to adjust their throws, field sense, or footwork.A college team takes a village to raise, and the coaches at this tournament are proving their worth time and again.

D is for – Duke

There hasn’t been a Cinderella story at this tournament, and Saturday’s results were mostly consistent with Sunday’s.Duke is the colossal, monolithic, impossible-to-miss exception.Duke came out of nowhere on Sunday to win two games and advance to the quarterfinals after going 1-3 in pool play.Duke, you’re right!Duke did it!They faced Stanford, Utah, and Cal Poly SLO in reseeded pools, and while they were blown out by Stanford, they easily defeated both Cal Poly SLO and Utah.Nobody would have predicted this after Saturday, so Swerve deserves credit for beating the odds.Ashley Talwar, Syndey Neal, and Hannah Scanlon are all exceptional performers.

E is for – Eight (points)

A total of eight points.
This is the most any team has ever scored against Stanford, Colorado, or UCSB.Stanford and Colorado both have an average margin of victory of eight points.
They’re not just beating teams; they’re completely dominating them.We knew there would be a talent gap going into this tournament, and we wondered if a team could score in the double digits against Colorado.Stanford and UCSB must now be added to that list.Granted, they’re all set to play each other in some capacity, so the likelihood is that we’ll see much closer games on Monday, but that’s not a given.They must now exceed the current standard of eight points.

F is for – Fugue

Oregon Fugue has had the most difficult path of any team that has made it to the semi-finals.They were in a tough group in pool play that forced them to play deep into their bench, and it didn’t get any easier on Sunday.Oregon had to compete against teams from California, including UCSD, Cal, and UCLA.
To top it all off, they had Carleton Eclipse in quarters, a team they had already faced in pool play and had had the opportunity to learn about their system and players.Nonetheless, Oregon hung in there, never wavered, and finished games with precision and tenacity.They put a lot of faith in their rookies to deliver, and it paid off.

G is for – Gatorade

This is an obvious choice.The sidelines were littered with the United States’ favourite energy drink, and the teams needed it as well.With most players’ conditioning not at peak levels this early in the season, cramping was common by the end of Sunday, and execution errors began to creep in as fatigue mounted.It’s a three-day tournament, so games are spread out fairly evenly over the weekend, but it’s still a lot of games, and these long weekends just mean more money going to Gatorade.

H is for – Hucks

Hucks.They’re also not very good.There were a lot of bad hucks on Sunday.It was almost as uncommon to see really good hucks.The majority of teams at the Santa Barbara Invite were fairly conservative with the disc, but that has completely changed in San Diego.Hucks were allowed regardless of the cutter’s position or the thrower’s abilities.Even when the right player was in the right position to make the throw, it was bungled due to rushed movements and an emphasis on power over technique.This will get better over time, but it was still painful to watch on Sunday.

I is for – Injuries

Unfortunately, due to injuries, some of the tournament’s best players were missing on Sunday.Players like Betsy Siegal, Julia Hasbrook, and Ava Jones were sidelined from the action, forcing their teams to fill critical positions with other players.Other stars with known injuries, such as Liana Bradley and Bailey Shigley, were also absent.Despite the fact that the teams were doing well despite the injuries, it was clear that they were attempting to fit round pieces into square holes.
It’s possible, but it’s not as satisfying as having the perfect shape.Let’s hope that all of the players who were unable to play make a quick recovery.

J is for – Jumps

It’s too bad “jumps” doesn’t have the same connotation as “hops,” because H was already taken and thus couldn’t be used for this weekend’s highlight.
Over the course of Sunday, there were some incredible skying grabs.There wasn’t a single game where the sideline didn’t erupt in cheers, spastic twirls, and whispers as a result of what they saw.The list is too long to recount every great play, but Allyn Suzuki, Willow Purvis, Georgia Cardosa, Ezra Weybright, and Esther Filipek come to mind as players with the best skying grabs.Suzuki takes the trophy for most impressive poster, posterizing her defender despite a noticeable size mismatch in favour of the opponent.

K is for – Karma

This isn’t quite as juicy as it appears.There was no one team that got their comeuppance on Sunday or was previously robbed and had a significant role reversal.
What did happen, however, was that many bad calls resulted in turnovers that led to breaks.There’s no need to name names because it was a problem throughout the tournament, but questionable calls abound.College players aren’t exactly known for their knowledge of the rules, and many of the calls were puzzling.
Fortunately, the cosmic order was frequently restored by a turnover that swung the odds back in favour of the wrongfully accused, thus righting a wrong that may or may not have been intentional.

L is for – Laura Blume

With Julia Hasbrook out, someone had to step up for UCSB to remain in the tournament’s top tier.Laura Blume was the player in question.While not as gifted as Hasbrook, Blume was able to find the right passes as they came her way, and her hustle compensated for what she lacked in throwing power.Blume was always one step ahead of her defenders because she moved faster and with more purpose.Despite being without their centre handler, UCSB went 4-0 on Sunday, and while that was a team effort, Blume stood out from the rest in what she was able to provide.

M is for – Margo Donahue

UC Davis may not have gotten past Stanford in the quarterfinals, but they were looking like a team on the verge of joining the elite tier of Southwest Nationals contenders before that game.The best argument for them is how polished their offence appears.The team runs plays to get the right players open in the right spots on the field, and they know what to do when a play fails.When things go wrong, it’s Margo Donahue who comes to their rescue.She was the one making plays all over the field to keep her team in the game, laying out left and right if necessary.Donahue reaggravated an injury on Saturday, but she played as if nothing had happened on Sunday.Donahue may not have the same takeover zeal as Rogue alum Jules Madigan, but she demonstrates that the team understands how to develop talent in the best way possible.

N is for – Numbers

All of the teams that have their uniforms sorted out this early in the season deserve a gold star!I’m pleading with the rest of the division to get it sorted out as soon as possible.It’s extremely difficult to track which player had an outstanding play or performance when you don’t know who it is — and nicknames don’t help either.
We only need a number, and the roster will take care of the rest.It’s difficult for us reporters to report without numbers because it’s confusing for those watching the streamed games.We want to give the players the recognition they deserve.Numbers can help with this!

O is for – Officiating

As much as everyone likes to heap praise on observers, the flow difference between an officiated game and a non-officiated game is night and day.
Too often, teams would get stuck arguing calls or not knowing the ruling and needing clarification, effectively halting the game.Here’s a take that may or may not be a take: this almost always benefits the offence by giving them time to catch their breath, reset, and see how the defence is set.The games run smoothly for the most part with observers, and calls are not missed half as frequently as people like to pretend.Club ultimate may be different, but college ultimate requires observers.

P is for – Pulls

This has already been written about, so it won’t be long, but pulling has dropped dramatically in 2023.It’s easy to understand why.In 2022, there were a lot of holdover seniors who dominated game time and could pull extremely well, so they took on all of the team’s responsibilities.With those players gone and no time for the younger players to develop their pulls, the quality has plummeted dramatically.Look no further than UCSD to understand the significance of a good pull.
The team frequently pulled so short that the offence set up well beyond half field, requiring only two or three passes to reach the end zone.

Q is for – Quarters

To be clear, the quarterfinals matches were not particularly close.In the women’s division, the cream has risen to the top, and it’s clear who is a contender and who isn’t.That being said, there were a lot of impressive teams that made it to the quarterfinals that deserve some credit, even if they left quickly once they got to the bracket.

Carleton Eclipse, a D-III team competing in a D-I tournament, looked every inch the bracket-ready team.Carleton has proven that they will be a problem all year with Tess Barton, Frankie Saraniti, Maya Kalmus, and Claire James.They are currently ranked third in our D-III power rankings.

Duke has already had their moment in the spotlight, but UC San Diego and UC Davis should be recognised for their paths to the quarterfinals.Davis is still trying to find their footing after losing their defensive core in 2022.They have a true star in Allyn Suzuki to help anchor the line, but the majority of their best players are offensive.Even so, when they’re firing on all cylinders, they’re able to keep up with the best the tournament has to offer.If the rest of the defence can catch up to Suzuki’s pace, they’ll be more than a quarter-team by the time the postseason arrives.

R is for – Rookies

We’re about to enter a new era of college ultimate.The majority, but not all, of the COVID seniors graduated in 2022, leaving a massive gap in the college division.
We knew rookies would have to fill that role, and they have done so admirably.Not every rookie is fully prepared for the game, and the ones who are starting offensive players are few and far between, but they are making significant contributions.This weekend, if anything, has been a coming out party for rookies in general.For the time being, it’s safe to say that we should all be looking forward to the freshmen of 2023, especially if you’re interested in the future of the women’s division.When it comes to Sunday alone, there are some who deserve to stand out, perhaps even an all-rookie line by the end of the weekend.

S is for – Syris Linkfield

Yes.We just discussed how talented the rookies of 2023 are.Syris Linkfield, on the other hand, deserves her own spot.It’s rare that you have to wonder if a rookie is the best player in a tournament, so when you do, that rookie deserves their own paragraph.Linkfield is one of a kind.It’s unclear how Oregon Fugue keeps finding generational talent, but they’ve struck gold yet again.Linkfield has already established herself as a leader on her team after only a few games as a player.
Oregon’s offence does not yet revolve entirely around her.Her gravity, however, is such that she must be respected and kept in focus for every defence, opening up the rest of the field if she’s trying to be contained or acting as an assist magnet if she’s not.Her best games were not even streamed, indicating that she is more than meets the eye test.

T is for – Turnovers

Nobody wants to discuss turnovers.When they’re unforced, they’re the least enjoyable part of ultimate, and there were a lot of them.Let us instead discuss the forced turnovers.No one will be surprised to learn that the deep in zone sets had a field day with blocks, especially given how gung-ho most of the teams competing in the tournament were with their hucks.Nonetheless, the most impressive blocks came from accurate defence.At this point in the season, mark defence is more of a “force” than an art form.The expectation is that players will channel throws to a space on the field where blocks can occur rather than earning turns with their mark.This was not true.Person defence allowed smart defenders to get multiple blocks, especially when the thrower turned to look for the reset pass.Clil Phillips, Hannah Scanlon, and Elena Kamas excelled at spotting what the thrower wanted and getting in the way of that pass.This tournament was a thing of beauty, and it is something that usually develops later in the year.

U is for – Universe Point

Or, more accurately, its absence.On Sunday, there was only one universe point game.Because of the reseeded pools and a little extra fatigue, it was fairly clear which team had the upper hand, which meant that most games weren’t close by the end.The average margin of victory on Sunday was just under five points, indicating that close games were few and far between.

Utah and Cal Poly SLO managed to pull off the only double game point feature of the day, and it was a gruelling game with plenty of turnovers and neither team able to gain an advantage because they were both exhausted by the end and running on fumes.We were spoiled by the close games on Saturday.If Sunday is any indication, it will be difficult to replicate.

V is for – Vert Stack

The horizontal offence appears to be the new standard in college ultimate.Outside of UCSD and Stanford, no one consistently ran a vertical stack as a set play, and if they did, they were frequently thwarted by the defence.The inactivity of the vert stack, which is a sign of discipline at the highest levels and is rarely actually inactive, is simply inactivity in the college game, leaving handlers with few options.College teams already struggle to find an open cutter in a horizontal, so vertical stacks exacerbated the problem to the nth degree.

The vert stack did see a lot of action in the end zone, so it’s not completely dead!However, because the consensus in the Southwest for endzone offence is very standardised, even good endzone offence is frequently predictable.Nonetheless, vert stacks may be on the rise in the coming months as teams learn how to take advantage of the stack’s simplicity.

W is for – Weather

Not to mention the beautiful weather on Saturday!There will be no complaints at the tournament in this regard!In fact, most of Sunday was also idyllic.
Only near the end of the day, when the games became more important, did the weather turn bad.As bracket play rounded into shape, cold winds blew in and heavy rain fell in heavy drops.Sunday provided the full spectrum in a few short hours, allowing teams to experiment with different options thanks to the weather’s heel turn.Still, it would have been nice if the sun had stayed out.

X is for – Denies

When it comes to signals and even body language, X is almost always a universal NO.This is doubly true for ultimate.There were numerous instances where defenders outplayed their offensive counterparts, particularly in the end zone.Outside of Colorado, there was not a single team that looked particularly strong with endzone offence.Endzone offence can be very predictable, and it is also when throwers lose all semblance of sanity in shot selection.This is a great opportunity for defenders, and it’s one of the main reasons there were so many blocks despite the short field turns.Too many times the disc would work its way to the end zone, only to be denied by a heads-up defender.

Y is for – Yelling

The importance of the sidelines cannot be overstated.Parents who support their children are underappreciated.Coaches who have lost their voices are underappreciated.In every case, teams benefit from these elements, particularly the sideline presence.Communication is essential for a college player to understand their role on the field, especially given how frequently teams run a zone defence that necessitates heads-up defence.Many of the teams that won on Sunday would not have advanced as far as they did without strong vocal support.Oregon’s sideline is deafeningly loud.The same can be said for UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara.Stanford isn’t quite as loud, but they’re very good at communicating with their players on the field.This all adds up, and when the margins are as small as they are in college ultimate, sometimes yelling is that missing link between making the bracket or missing out entirely.

Z is for – Zones

In college ultimate, there is death, taxes, and zones.No team is complete unless it has a competent zone defence, and most programmes that excel do so because of their zone defence.When you have a system designed to force short turns, it’s simple to rack up points.It’s not surprising that teams like UCSB, Stanford, and UCSD advanced as far as they did given the effort they put into zone defence.Zone defence is effective at this early stage of the college season.Why would most teams switch to zone offence when they have barely figured out their normal offensive flow?This results in a lot of twists and turns, which is why teams use it.It also allows for cutters who were in the cup to immediately press downfield after the turn, and get the handlers some forward momentum for hucks as they move to pick up the disc.