Everything you need to know as the latter stages of the bracket approach
May 25, 2025 by Alex Rubin and Edward Stephens in Recap
Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2025 college ultimate season is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season.
BURLINGTON, WA —
Storylines
We’re Living in DIRT’s Universe
Western Washington 15-14 Michigan: Game Recap | Stream
Cinderella is still dancing at the ball! #13 Western Washington DIRT took down #25 Michigan MagnUM in a universe point game ringed with supporters and busybodies to reach quarters for the first time in the program’s history.
The win did not come easily. Michigan’s offense was stingy in the first half; they didn’t surrender a break. But DIRT were nearly as stingy. Elijah Diamond, Cedar Hines, and Zoli Ishikawa-Szabo, who have formed the base of their attack for the entire tournament, were joined in prequarters by Griffin Laliberte, Mason Herndon, and Thomas Simms. They were lights out until the last play point before half. Diamond set up downfield and started a cut. Just as he turned to go deep, Ishikawa-Szabo threw to where he would have gone had he cornered under. Michigan converted the short field chance to take an 8-6 lead.
The margin stayed at a break for another point, and another, and another. It stayed at a break for more than half an hour. Then, down 12-11, DIRT finally found their way to a break. Tied 13-13, they found their way to another. And at 14-14, on offense, they pulled a lever and called a deep play. The screaming Ishikawa-Szabo huck put Diamond on the goal line, and a moment later Diamond was being swarmed by the large crowd of Western Washington parents and alumni.
Bottom Seeds Storm the Bracket
In a rare turn of events, the bottom seeds from three of the four pool made the bracket. Joining Western Washington were Michigan and #17 Utah Zion Curtain.
Western Washington 15-14 UC Santa Cruz: Game Recap | Stream
Western Washington 15-13 Georgia: Game Recap | Stream
Western Washington earned their spot with a pair of heroic efforts against #9 UC Santa Cruz Slugs and #11 Georgia Jojah. Like their prequarter victory later in the day, both of their Pool B closers saw them take late leads to close out tight contests.
In the first half of their morning Georgia’s big three — Jack Krugler, Aidan Downey, and Scotty Whitley — were highly effective (though not exactly clean). All they needed to do was keep it up. Easier said than done. Turnovers were the norm for the top end of both teams as they showed the workload. It bit DIRT harder in the first half, but Jojah caught the bug badly toward the end of the second half. The 12-11, one-break advantage they held over DIRT turned into a 14-12 two-break deficit. That margin was enough take to the end of the game and clinch DIRT a spot in the bracket. The roar of the local crowd — almost all pulling for DIRT, naturally — rang across the complex as the result set. Hines (4G/2A/2D) and Diamond (1G/7A/4D) were once again outstanding for Western Washington.
But that win was nothing compared to the universe point classic in the final round of pool play, when DIRT came from behind to knock UC Santa Cruz out of the championship bracket on universe point. Toby Warren (4A/1G) and Diamond (7A/3G) matched wits throughout the game with each star willing his teammates to offensive success. One point, Warren was dancing up the field with Milan Moslehi and Cole Mires; the next, Diamond weaved with Hines and Ishikawa-Szabo.
At the beginning of the second half, the Slugs seemed to have the defensive advantage. Seamus Shogren laid out to block an in cut to set up one break, and Ethan Rogers did the same a few points later as the Slugs extended a 12-10 lead. From there on out, Diamond, Hines, and Ishikawa-Szabo did not leave the field. Western Washington took their first lead of the game when Phoenix Laliberte stepped in front of Moslehi to block a wide throw after Moslehi turned to change the shape of his cut. Hines snuck a flick past his mark to Diamond for a 14-13 lead.
A Slugs hold set up universe point. Hines turned over the disc on a throwing error, and then, after a stoppage, UC Santa Cruz freshman Mires, who had had an excellent game, dropped the pass. A whirlwind of activity in the next moment ended the game. Simms found himself with the disc in the end zone while Mires was surrounded by a supportive group hug–the Slugs fending off the sadness of their lost bracket place to give their teammate some love in a difficult moment.
Utah 15-12 Vermont: Game Recap | Stream
Utah 15-14 Oregon State: Game Recap | Stream
While Western Washington had a bigger local fan base at the complex and made it to quarters, Utah gave them a run for their money in terms of pure excitement en route to the bracket.
Like DIRT, Zion Curtain qualified with a stunning comeback in their first game of the day. Down 8-4 at half against #14 Vermont Chill, Utah rode a second half surge to score the 15-12 upset extend their season. The glow-up from Utah from one half to the next was like the difference in temperature between the bright side and dark side of the moon. Oscar Brown transformed from merely a good second-year player to the Best Thrower in the World. Henri de St. Germain became the frisbee version of Rudy Gobert, collecting blocks like so many pretty trifles. Grayson Rettberg’s pants became basically indistinguishable from the dark, semitransparent blur of rotating helicopter blades as he pounded the verdant Skagit Valley lawn. And Will Selfridge must have been kissed by a princess, because Utah’s undisputed first-half toad — seriously, he had a tough half — became an undisputed prince.
By the time it was over, Utah had transmogrified their loss — via the arcane discipline of “playing well enough to go on an 11-4 run” — into a win and the program’s first ever spot in the elimination bracket.
They followed up that bit of brilliance with another, eliminating #8 Oregon State Beavers with a an adrenaline-fueled universe point win to finish second in Pool A. It was a complete performance from all of Zion Curtain, but they sprinkled a heavy dose of Will Selfridge into the mix. Selfridge (3G/7A) was simply incredible. Grayson Rettberg, Elijah Watchalatone, and Grant Newkirk were all excellent, as well.
The teams traded breaks in the first half. But between Selfridge and Watchalatone doing damage for Utah, and Ben Thoennnes (5A) and Callahan Bosworth (3G/3A) leading Oregon State’s notorious deep attack, though, turnovers were hard to come by. It would take some digging in late in the game to gain any sort of serious advantage.
They stayed knotted until 13-13. That’s when a simple reset miscue between Selfridge and Oscar Brown gave the Beavers the disc. They cashed in the opportunity immediately: Seiji Koenigsberg, not always one of their shooters, put a high shot to the back line for rookie CJ Kaperick, who brought it down just inside the line over a Utah defender. Up 14-13, Oregon State rested most of their top players on the ensuing D-point and could only watch as Selfridge slotted one of his many highlight-reel throws boldly between two defenders to force universe.
A deep shot to Bosworth looked like it would seal the game for Oregon State, but he went up a hair early. Utah made the most of their possession, flexing their patience muscle against a dug-in Beavers red zone defensive stand until Rainor Alin could flip a pass to Selfridge just across the line.
Michigan 14-12 UBC: Game Recap | Stream
#18 UBC Thunderbirds, playing hard on the slim hope that action elsewhere could help ressurect their weekend, camee to play and never gave up as Michigan played largely through their stars to earn a 14-12 victory and inch closer to a bracket appearance. Aaron Bartlett was the do-everything star Michigan needed. His nine assists led both teams and his defense slowing down Rex Yuan gummed up UBC’s attack. Yuen still got his (5A) and Justin Podnar dominated downfield (5G) despite the tough James Hill matchup, but at the end of the day Michigan made enough plays to come out with the win. Helpful poach blocks from Joshua Wang, tireless cutting from Josh Solomon (4G), and intelligent timing from Nicholas Alfonso all contributed to MagnUM’s success.
Spunky Spank Reach Quarters
Penn State 15-10 Utah: Game Recap | Stream
#21 Penn State Spank, after an excellent day of play, find themselves in unfamiliar territory: the quarterfinal round of Nationals. They led off the day with what can only be called an encouraging loss against #5 Carleton CUT, stumbling to an 0-3 deficit before matching CUT point for point the rest of the way. That warm up ensured they were ready to take care of business against tournament bottom seeds Ottawa Gee-Gees to cement their spot in the bracket.
Those two games set up the real treat of the day: a 15-10 drubbing of Utah. It was a display of depth and patience: Penn State had 15 players record a goal, assist, or block. After a close first half, Penn State went on a five goal run to turn a 9-9 slugfest into a 14-9 blowout. Throughout that time, offensive stars Alex Mullen (5G), Doug Hoyer (4A), and Michael Maroon (3G/1A) did not cross over to defense. Logan Piercy, Kyle Incollingo, and Ethan Landis were able to move the disc effectively against a tired set of Utah legs.
Meaningless Classic: Oregon State Take Down Texas on Uni
Oregon State 15-14 Texas: Game Recap | Stream
Before it gets washed away completely in people’s memory — neither team ended up making the bracket, but at the time both needed the win — let’s take a moment to appreciate perhaps the most highlight-friendly game of the day: the battle between Oregon State and #23 Texas TUFF.
Oregon State drew first blood, capitalizing on a slightly overthrown Aaron Barcio huck to punch in an early break. Meanwhile, their offense was lights out: that line didn’t turn the disc over for the entirety of the first half while shooting brilliantly. Callahan Bosworth and Henry Wayte were particularly effective.
But Texas, hungry for a seventh consecutive year in the bracket, didn’t give away anything else easily. Xavier Fuzat (3G/3A), Barcio (3G/3A), Owen Smith (3G/1A), and Jake Worthington (1G/3A) were nothing short of stupendous as they kept right at the Beavers’ heels.
The pressure paid off, as the hard defense forced a rushed throw out of Matt Rix. TUFF punched in the first break chance they got, and then tacked on a second one to flip the script. That put all the pressure on Oregon State: they’d have to break to win.
Trailing 13-14, Ben Thoennes slotted an ice-in-his-veins, letterbox-windowed hammer for the hold to force universe point. The game had seen its share of calls early, but universe point slowed to a crawl as they exchanged turnovers and indignation. Finally, though, after Wayte’s second clutch defensive play of the point, the Beavers crept toward the goal line and put up a slightly floaty blade to Forrest Vargyas. Vargyas held on through hockey-check contact from Fuzat for the win to keep Oregon State’s season alive.
Sensational Six All Reach Quarters
It has been an article of faith in the men’s division that the top six or so teams are in a league of their own this season. Saturday only reaffirmed that impression, as four of them walked to pool play victories and the remaining two pushed through prequarters without much of a challenge.
Here, have a rundown.
- Top-seeded #3 UMass Zoodisc held New England rivals Vermont to single digits to wrap up to top spot in Pool A and were in control the entire game against Texas, despite a late TUFF charge
- #4 Oregon Ego completely outclassed a gassed Georgia before dropping a meaningless (for them) game against #10 Northeastern Huskies to finish tops in Pool B
- #1 Colorado Mamabird likewise wrapped up Pool C early against UBC and rested their starters for a close loss to #12 Cal Ursa Major
- CUT faced a tricky test, unable to get fully clear of a feisty Penn State after opening up a 3-0 lead.
- #2 UNC Darkside, who lost Friday’s pool-deciding game against CUT on universe point, cruised to a trio of 15-10 wins: over #16 WashU Contra, Ottawa to close out pool play and then the prequarter matchup with Vermont
- #6 Cal Poly SLO SLOCORE were dealt the most difficult game of the day, as an all-out assault from Cal (who were trying to save their weekend) pushed them to a mere 15-13 win. SLOCORE were rewarded for their effort with two walks in the park: 15-4 over a Michigan team resting all of their top players and 15-8 against a depleted Northeastern.
That’s all for pool play and the first round of the bracket, but there’s more on deck. Be sure to catch the game recaps as they’re posted on tomorrow’s live blog, and follow along with the action first-hand by watching tomorrow’s streamed games!
