The season for the Women’s League kicked off with the combined Red Cedar Rumble tournament hosted by Michigan State University. This year’s tournament looked very different with the teams present as well as the inclusion of the women’s division games. In the past, this event was similar to the Cornhusker Clash, hosted by UNL, where one or two teams would be in attendance. This year, Bowling Green and Grand Valley attended the open tournament, and Akron, Grand Valley, and Illinois attended the women’s tournament! It was great to see all the teams join MSU at this event, so let’s take a look at each team!
Women’s No-Sting
Results
GV 3-2 UIUC
Akron 8-0 UIUC
MSU 8-1 GV
Akron 8-0 GV
MSU 5-1 UIUC
Akron 7-5 MSU
Akron (3-0)
Akron made sure to remind everyone at this event that they aren’t to be messed with. Their team consists of mostly veterans with multiple seasons under their belts, and it’s clear these women have been through those seasons together. They do everything as a unit. While their recruitment this year was not what they’d hoped, they have the opportunity to fine tune their attacks and strategy with players who already know the game inside and out. This tournament showed that even with a break for most of their players, they are easily able to slip back into the team’s mindset that allows them to be so successful. Their first game of the day was against UIUC where they played hard and fast. They pushed up to the attack line as a group, making sure to maintain ball control, and every player applied pressure. They didn’t let up one bit against GV or MSU, and they really pushed these teams hard with their swift attacks and retreats. It’s clear that this team does well with it’s current members and the experience they have, but we are still hoping for a few rookies to join their ranks so that experience and knowledge can be passed down.
MSU (2-1)
MSU’s women’s team looks very different this year after losing several players to graduation last spring; they almost seem a little more careful. Their game against GVSU saw the same few players throwing while the others played center without any balls. The team did well pushing up to the attack line together, but once there, only one person would throw, and team throws were rarely utilized even when ball control was maintained. While they usually like keeping their opponent pinned at their backline, GVSU would get off quick reset throws that prevented MSU from being able to run them down and execute their powerful attacks. Their games against UIUC and Akron showed some improvement with unified attacks, more team throws, and more aggressive back-and-forth gameplay. They were really able to settle into their style of play, and their rookies were able to take the charge after finding their confidence after their first game. It will be interesting to see how the team further develops as the season progresses, and hopefully they can carry the momentum into their next event.
GVSU (1-2)
It was clear that GVSU came into this tournament with a great sense of pride and slight cockiness with their newly official women’s team. Their players have a great sense of court awareness and like to by pushed up to their attack line, keeping hard pressure on their opponent. They are great at moving as a unit and providing coverage for their teammates as well as keeping up the heat on their attacks. Each player fills important niches on the court, and their veterans take the lead with forceful plays which helps keep the energy. They carried that energy into their game against MSU where they kept MSU up at the attack line and connecting with sneaky reset throws. Most of the team utilizes the strategy of throwing resets and looking for catches with one or two players focusing on throwing for the out. With this being the first tournament of the season, we anticipate GV further building up their strategy and on-court communication to help them improve their scores at their next event.
UIUC (0-3)
While their scores on the day weren’t what they hoped for, UIUC kicked off their season with their impressive plays and crazy dodging. They brought seven women to this tournament, three more than nationals the previous season, and they’ve already got a great grasp on the game. They understand the importance of ball control, clearly demonstrated by their handle on the wall-ball they experienced. Illinois’s overall strategy is different from that of the other teams in the league, but it’s what works for them right now. It makes them more unpredictable and harder to read, making their spontaneous attacks all the more impactful. The team overall is more defensive than other teams, and they rely heavily on throwing resets and looking for catches than throwing for the out. While they didn’t win any of their games, they have grown a lot since last season, and they are utilizing learned techniques into their gameplay more consistently. Once they get their strategy figured out and their rookies up to speed, they will be a formidable opponent not only in the central region but in the rest of the league.
Open
Three teams were able to attend the open tournament with four games taking place (the last game was not played due to storms affecting the facilities). Here are the results from the open tournament:
MSU 4-1 GVSU
BGSU 7-0 MSU B
BGSU 4-2 GVSU
GVSU 6-1 MSU B
MSU vs BGSU not played
For more dodgeball content, check out the NCDA’s YouTube Channel for live tournament coverage, the NCDA’s Facebook and Instagram for results and awards, and each team’s social medias for updates on tournaments and other events. Keep an eye out for more articles on the women’s and open leagues as we head into another weekend full of tournaments!