Women's Elite Rugby

The TC Gemini, 3-1, hosted the New York Exiles, 1-3, on Sunday, June 7 at TCO Stadium in Eagan, Minnesota, looking to extend their lead at the top of the Women’s Elite Rugby table. The Gemini kicked off in 84 degree weather with 59 percent humidity, some clouds and 16mph winds. Gemini outside center Kathryn “KJ” Johnson found holes in the Exiles’ defense early on, and in the third minute, after a break, passed the ball out to wing Megan Ahnen. Ahnen, who scored a hat trick last week against the Bay Breakers, took the ball over for the try. The conversion was no good leaving Gemini with a 5-0 lead. The Exiles showed promise in the 9th minute, when lock Tara McWilliams broke through the Gemini back line. Realizing she wouldn’t be able to go the distance, she booted the ball down into the try zone, only just failing to touch it down before a Gemini defender. Both teams traded kicks and tackles over the next ten minutes, with neither set of backs making it far across the gain line until the 18th minute when a succession of passes between flanker Brooke Doerscher, fullback Chloe Headland and Ahnen took the Gemini from inside their own half to deep inside Exiles territory. Ahnen was tackled into touch, but in the 20th minute, No. 8 Abbey Jacobs took the ball from the base of a scrum and straight-armed her opposite to cross the line for a try, her fifth of the season and 6th in her WER career. The conversion was no good leaving Gemini 10-0 at the first water break. The Gemini started to established their dominance in the 24th minute, with a crisp series of passes from scrum-half Sophie Pyrz to fly-half Brogan Mior, who took a big hit and drew a defender before offloading to Headland for the try. Headland converted the try and the Gemini led 17-0. The Gemini created some dazzling plays in the backfield but were held up by errors and turnovers, which kept the Exiles in the game in the first half. In the 31st minute, the Gemini pack re-established control and prop Hannah Pfersch scored. Headland’s conversion was good, and the home team led 24-0. The Exiles couldn’t create any magic on offense in the first half, but their defense continued to stymie the Gemini’s efforts to increase the scoreline, making interceptions and forcing errors. Halftime : TC Gemini 24, New York Exiles 0 The Exiles started strong in the second half with substitutes Sarah Minahan taking a quick penalty and offloading to Adriana Castillo. Inside Center Jetta Owens’ conversion was good, cutting the Gemini’s lead to 24-7. The Gemini countered with a try from hooker Sam Brackett. The conversion was no good. Gemini extended their lead to 29-7. The Exiles did not give up, scoring in the 61st minute after a quick tap penalty taken by scrum-half Minahanwho passed it along the line to prop Emily Brower for the try. The last twenty minutes was back-and-forth rugby. In the 64th minute Ahen scored her second try of the match. The conversion was no good but the Gemini led 34-12. The Exiles did counter, as their pack pushed prop Caoimhe O'Sullivan Roche over the line for the try. The conversion from Owens was good and the Exiles had once again cut the lead, to 34-19. In the 70th minute Gemini substitute Morgan Linck made a stunning break to her opponents’ 22 but as she felt a defender bearing down behind her, her pass to a teammate fell short and the Exiles regained possession. In the 78th minute, the Gemini finally sealed their win with a try from substitute Keishanique Moton-Tyler. Headland’s conversion was good, the Gemini led 41-19, and that was left to do was run out the clock, denying the Exiles a bonus point. Final score : 41-19 The TC Gemini are now 4-1 and the New York Exiles are 1-4.

The Bay Breakers, 3-1, travelled to Veterans’ Memorial Stadium in Quincy, Massachusetts, on Sunday, June 7, to take on the Boston Banshees, 1-3, knowing that a win would keep them near the top of the table at the mid-season mark. Playing in a humid 74 degrees with rain and wind, the Banshees scored first, in the third minute, following a lineout on the 5-meter line. The pack mauled its way to the try line for flanker Gen Quirion to score. The conversion went wide and the Banshees led 5-0. The Breakers countered with a darting run through the back line by outside center Tapaita Satini, and fly-half Laura Bocek, playing the penalty advantage, took a chance with a cross-kick which went into touch. The ensuing penalty took the Breakers to the five-meter line and the pack did the rest, with lock Nikki Lynch scoring her third try of the season. Bocek’s conversion was good, and the Breakers led 7-5 with just over nine minutes played. A storming individual run by Satini gave the Breakers another try in the 12th minute. Bocek’s conversion was good, and the Breakers led, 14-5. A penalty kick from Banshees fly-half Amanda Wild in the 16th minute kept the home team close, 14-8, but the Breakers’ backs kept finding gaps in the Banshees defensive line and their forwards kept the pressure relentless. The rain slowed the offensive playmaking at times, but the Breakers pack finally pushed their powerful maul over for a try, which was scored by flanker Hope Cooper. The conversion didn’t go through, but the Breakers led, 19-8. The Banshees didn’t slow down, with No. 8 Yeja Dunn, WER’s top try scorer in 2025 with 12 tries (60 points), making solid runs and smart passes to their teammates. Wild nearly found Emma Santosuosso on the wing with a cross-kick but the Banshees had to settle for a penalty, which Wild kicked through the posts, bringing her team within eight, 19-11, in the 32nd minute. With just a few minutes remaining in the half, good pressure by the Banshees brought them to the Breakers’ five-meter line, allowing Dunn to show why they’re so dangerous on offense. They made two carries, stretching to touch the ball over the try line after the second run. Wild’s conversion was good and the Banshees trailed by one, 19-18. The two teams split the series last year, and at the half, neither side looked likely to give up first in this match, their first matchup of the 2026 season. Halftime: Bay Breakers 19, Boston Banshees 18 The Banshees started the second half as they’d finished the first, forcing the Breakers back to their own try line and when Dunn failed to score, lock Molly McAlevey did. The kick was good from out wide, and the Banshees had their first lead since the 8th minute, 25-19. The Breakers weren’t done, and after a strong team effort in the 49th minute, substitute back row Roseline Okpara barreled over for a try. The conversion from Bocek was good and the Breakers took the lead again, 26-25 having earned a bonus point. Breakers’ substitute Aly Namosilmalua looked threatening as she broke through the Banshees’ defense in the 61st minute. The visitors managed to keep the pressure on and in the 64th minute, Okpara pushed her way past a few Banshees before being tackled. She took the ball out of the ruck and with a smart pick and go, carried the ball over the line. Bocek’s kick was good, and the Breakers led 33-25. With less than four minutes remaining, Okpara sealed the win for the Breakers, bouncing through two tackles before being taken to the ground and once again taking the ball out of the ruck and crossing the line for a hat trick. Bocek’s conversion squeaked through the posts, and the score was 40-25. Needing another try to get a bonus point, the Banshees hustled to the final whistle but couldn’t get through the Breakers’ defense. Final Score: Bay Breakers 40, Boston Banshees, 25 The Bay Breakers are now 4-1, the Boston Banshees are 1-4.