On the weekend of February 18, the UCSD club ultimate Frisbee teams hosted their second tournament of the season despite some complications involving the recent storm. Teams from all over the country flew in to compete at this prestigious tourney, showing off all the skills they have learned so far. The whole tournament consisted of thirty-two teams, half men’s, and half women’s. For the women’s UCSD club team, this weekend could be wrapped up as a success.
Placed as the 12th seed (the expected result for our team) we had a lot of drive coming into the tournament to prove to other teams we were much better than 12th place. Throughout the three-day tournament, our team fought long and hard for each point, focusing on playing tight, aggressive defense. The first day, our team faced Northwestern (11-2) and Texas (7-8). The Northwestern game was full of energy, cheering, and a lot of learning for our new first year players. They got a lot of playing time and their defense improved dramatically over the course of just one game. The Texas game on the other hand had a more intense atmosphere. However, throughout the game, every player had strong sportsmanship, keeping the game competitive and fun.
The second day, our team faced Colorado College (11-4) and Brown (12-5). These were also games in which our rookies (first year players) gained a lot of experience. Not only that, but our rookies were leading the defense’s intensity, inspiring everyone on the team to work harder. Robin “Syren” Adams and Emily “Wannahockaloogie” Griesenbeck were exceptionally aggressive rookies leading the pack.
Our final day of the tournament consisted of games against University of Western Washington and Carlton. This day was lead by amazing plays from Dena “Chrome” Elimelech. From laying out to score, to diving for a defensive turn, to grabbing impossible falling discs, Chrome was playing 110% along with the rest of the team. Despite our best efforts, both games were lost by a single point. As devastating as the losses were for our team, it also inspired us to push ourselves harder so that the next time around, the game ends in our favor. We ended the tournament in 10th place, placing above seed, and walking away with positive experiences. Not only that, but with a cool new Presidents Day flag and some other new swag.
