End of quarter moments defined the Gridlock vs. Radiance game, Atlanta's road trip, and more.
May 3, 2025 by Emilia Scheemaker and Keith Raynor in Recap
Recently we split the WUL and PUL Updates into separate articles, with each covering the last two weeks of action. And we are introducing a new format: Four Quarters. We’ll highlight four things that caught our eye or got our brains going from around the league, catch you up on the games and news you may have missed, and update our Power Rankings.
Let us know what you think!
First Quarter: Time Runs out on Radiance
A battle between the only two active1 teams to win the PUL was the only matchup for PUL Week Four.
The game started tight and stayed that way, only coming down to one goal. The majority of the match saw clean holds that came in two forms: Gridlock focused on the small ball, while Radiance found success in their deep game. While the game came down to multiple factors — namely unforced errors — one thing that could have made the difference was poor clock management.
The end of the first quarter concluded with a turn by Gridlock at the buzzer, with the Radiance rushing the other way to score. But that was later reviewed and it was decided that the clock had expired prior to Gridlock losing possession and that Raleigh’s score would be removed. Then, at the end of the second quarter, Radiance dropped the disc in front of their end zone with less than 30 seconds left on the clock, allowing Gridlock to break for the lead. The end of the third quarter looked similar – this time, Radiance missed a deep connection that would have resulted in a score with five seconds left on the clock for the quarter, although Gridlock also dropped before they could score. Finally, the fourth quarter came down to a one-point margin. When Gridlock turned the disc over with one minute left in the game, it was Radiance’s chance to push the game to overtime. They worked it down the field, but when they got close to the end zone with a chance to send the game to extras, they played rushed, leading to a turfed swing with 20 seconds left in the game.
Former North Carolina standout Ella Juengst had a hell of a game, with six goals, two blocks, and zero turnovers. She made her mark with many contested catches throughout the game and put an exclamation point on the game with a run-through block in the second half.
Here are some things one could have done in the time between the clock expiring and Raleigh initiating their possession:
- Make a cup of coffee
- Take a walk in the park
- Watch an episode of The White Lotus, better yet, binge the entire new season
- Play a quarter of a WUL game
- Learn to play the trombone
- Do a full-body workout at OrangeTheory
- Complete a 1000-piece puzzle
- Domesticate a turkey to keep as a pet
- Cook and eat a five-course meal
- Wait in line at the DMV to renew a license
- Go on an archaeological dig in search of dinosaur bones’
- Compete in an Old Era season of Survivor (39 days, baby)
- Start a new WNBA franchise
- Pick up a disc
Second Quarter: Forward March
NY Gridlock Hits the Road – Gridlock’s road trip this weekend will feature our first chance to scope out both Minnesota Strike and the Milwaukee Monarchs. It’s our only look at Strike until they take their own road trip in Week 7.
LA Facing Tough Tests – LA Astra will host DC Shadow this weekend (Week 5). It will be only the second game for DC, and the first of the presumed conference leaders LA will see. Astra will have to take their learnings and rebound to take on a fiery Surge team in Week 6 in Philly.
Hot Revenge – Austin Torch fell a bit flat when they lost to Atlanta Soul in Week 2. This game could be a gauge to determine what to think of that loss and right the ship for an Austin club in need of some inspiration. But Atlanta is having their best season since making Championship Weekend in the league’s inaugural year.
Third Quarter: Torch Snuffed Out By Indy Red in Windy Match Up
Neither club was able to really show their stuff in what looked to be the windiest game on record. The first quarter was plagued with drops, miscues, and wind-caught flicks leading to a low scoring opening. Indy Red did find their stride to prevail 15-13 over Austin Torch. Both the wind and the teams were able to settle in during the second quarter.
The game relied on its handlers and both Amy Groome for Torch and Tracey Lo for Indy Red stood out keeping their teams calm and collected as they worked down the field. In a game where hucks were unreliable, it was a trusty set of hands keeping this game alive. Madi Cannon, Summer Wilson, and Carley Garret dominated the scoreboard early for Torch; Cannon recorded three assists, Garret three goals, and Wilson two assists in the first half.
Tracey Lo and Lauren Gerencser held down the backfield for Indy Red. Their receivers were hard at work with Kat McGuire, Jalyn Baumgartner, and Maketa Mattimore heading to the end zone in the early part of this game. McGuire ended the game with four goals, Baumgartner with one, and Mattimore with three. Riely Kuznicki tallied four blocks in the game to help send Red to their win.
Although Torch had a higher completion rate, it was Indy Red that had more defensive blocks. The teams were closely matched across the board for stats and there were few break conversions, which contributed to the close score. Torch will play again this weekend at home against the Nashville Nightshade. Indy Red has time to rest up before they see their next opponent the Milwaukee Monarchs in Week 6.
Fourth Quarter: Soul’s Tough Road Trip
Fresh off their big win against Austin Torch, Atlanta Soul hit the road for this season’s first doubleheader. While they lost both games, the two matches contrasted with each other. Soul seemed to struggle a bit more with Shadow’s active defense, consisting of several different looks. While the Atlanta team could move through the DC zone, they found themselves trying to force things into the end zone, which met unsuccessful scoring attempts. The DC defense was also stifling in the deep space, not letting many deep shots off (Atlanta got up a total of seven hucks). Meanwhile, Soul tried multiple zone looks, but none of them could stop the steady chugging of Shadow’s offense, that had a 95% completion rate, which hardly allowed Soul any break chances.
Part two of the Soul road trip was a similar story on paper, when looking at the final results, but the narrative on the field was fairly different. Soul still struggled with unforced errors, but they showed signs of life throughout the game, on both sides of the disc. They got some layout blocks that forced turns, but could not convert those turns into breaks. The difference maker for Soul, however, was their comfort in the deep space. They got many clean holds off of uncontested deep shots, given to them by Raleigh’s defensive positioning. However, Soul’s defensive line could not produce a challenge or force a turn on Radiance’s O-line. Their offense looked clinical, found the open hands, and their players were more able to have better reads on the disc. Atlanta’s defense just could not catch up, especially in the smaller spaces.
Perhaps it says more about their opponents: DC’s defense looks vicious again this year and Raleigh’s offense can still run team’s off the field.
PUL Power Rankings
Medellín Revolution is the other PUL champion. ↩
