by The Rugby Fan Central Team
VALLADOLID, Spain — After opening the weekend with a disappointing loss to Fiji, the USA Women’s Eagles Sevens responded with four consecutive victories—including a statement win over eventual champion Australia—to reach the Cup Final and capture a silver medal at the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Valladolid.
The result marked a significant step forward for a squad that entered the tournament looking to rebound from a fifth-place finish in Hong Kong. By the end of the weekend, the Eagles had defeated South Africa, Australia, Fiji, and Canada before ultimately falling to Australia in Sunday’s championship match.
More importantly, they rediscovered the style of rugby they had been searching for.
“This weekend, it was about how we could continue to evolve, play to our identity, and get five percent better every game,” Head Coach Emilie Bydwell said following the tournament.
Over three days in Spain, the Eagles did exactly that.
A Setback That Sparked a Response
The tournament began with a challenge.
Facing Fiji in their opening Pool B match, the Eagles built a 12-7 halftime lead behind tries from Ariana Ramsey and Sammy Sullivan. Fiji responded with three second-half tries to claim a 26-19 victory, leaving the Americans little room for error.
The response came quickly.
Later on Friday, the USA earned a 26-12 victory over South Africa behind two tries from Kaylen Thomas and additional scores from Su Adegoke and Ramsey. The win evened the Eagles’ record and set up a crucial pool finale against unbeaten Australia.
A Statement Against Australia
Australia entered the match as one of the tournament favorites, having dominated its first two opponents.
The Eagles delivered one of their most disciplined performances of the season.
Thomas opened the scoring before Sariah Ibarra added the conversion. After Maddison Levi answered for Australia, Ibarra crossed for a try of her own and converted it to give the USA a 14-5 advantage.
Australia threatened late through Teagan Levi, but the Eagles defended relentlessly to secure a 14-10 victory.
The significance of the result extended beyond the standings. The USA had proven it could defeat the strongest team in the field.
That confidence carried directly into the knockout rounds.
Turning the Tables on Fiji
The quarterfinal offered an immediate opportunity for redemption.
Less than 24 hours after losing to Fiji in pool play, the Eagles produced one of their most complete performances of the season.
Rachel Strasdas opened the scoring in the first minute before Ramsey and Adegoke added tries during a blistering start that produced a 21-0 lead after five minutes.
Fiji briefly narrowed the margin before halftime, but the second half belonged entirely to the USA.
Captain Kristi Kirshe, Sammy Sullivan, and Alex Sedrick all crossed for tries as the Eagles powered to a 40-14 victory and a place in the semifinals.
The performance showcased the depth that had become a hallmark of the tournament run. Six different players scored tries while the defense limited Fiji to a single scorer and shut the Fijians out after halftime.
The team that had lost to Fiji on Friday looked transformed by Saturday afternoon.
Championship Sunday
The semifinal against Canada delivered perhaps the most dramatic moment of the weekend.
The Eagles trailed 12-0 at halftime and appeared in danger of seeing their tournament end one step short of the final.
Instead, they found another gear.
In her debut tournament for the United States, Sereana Vulaono scored beneath the posts to spark the comeback. Thomas added another try and Kayla Canett converted both scores as the Eagles rallied for a 14-12 victory.
The comeback secured the program’s first final appearance of the season and completed another chapter in an increasingly impressive tournament run.
Waiting in the championship match was Australia.
The rematch unfolded differently than the pool encounter. Australia struck early and built a lead behind tries from Heidi Dennis and Faith Nathan before Ramsey got the Eagles on the board with a sixth-minute score.
The USA continued to fight throughout the contest and received a late try from Erica Coulibaly, but Australia ultimately secured a 27-14 victory to lift the championship trophy.
Contributions Across the Roster
The silver-medal run was built on contributions throughout the squad.
Kirshe once again provided leadership and physicality at the heart of the team. Ramsey emerged as one of the Eagles’ most dangerous attacking threats, while Ibarra played a pivotal role with her playmaking and goal-kicking.
Thomas delivered key scores in some of the tournament’s biggest moments, including the opening try against Australia and the decisive score in the semifinal comeback against Canada.
Canett’s versatility proved invaluable throughout the knockout rounds, while Sullivan, Adegoke, Strasdas, Sedrick, Coulibaly, Autumn Czaplicki, Tahna Wilfley, Rachel Strasdas, and Vulaono all played important roles in the run to the final.
USA Results – Valladolid
- Fiji 26, USA 19
- USA 26, South Africa 12
- USA 14, Australia 10
- USA 40, Fiji 14 (Quarterfinal)
- USA 14, Canada 12 (Semifinal)
- Australia 27, USA 14 (Final)
The silver medal may not have been the prize the Eagles ultimately wanted, but Valladolid offered something equally valuable. After an opening loss, the United States grew stronger with every match, defeated the eventual champions, avenged its toughest setback, and returned to a championship final.
For a team searching for momentum entering the final stop of the SVNS season, there could hardly have been a more encouraging weekend.