Four Quarters: A New #1 and a Championship Preview (WUL Week 6, PUL Week 3)

An early PUL upset as we prepare for a massive week of games!

April 24, 2026 by Emilia Scheemaker and Rhea Patney in Preview, Recap

We’ve got a massive weekend of PUL games, maybe the best regular season slate in league history, and we are halfway through the Western Ultimate League regular season. Plus a big win for the Bay Area Falcons to discuss in this week’s edition of Four Quarters!

First Quarter: WUL Championship Preview

Week 6 marks the halfway point of the regular season for the WUL. It’s time to take a look at the pile and see who’s on track for Championship Weekend and who’s on the bubble. As a reminder, Championship Weekend will take place June 13-14 in Portland, Oregon, this year. The top two teams from the North and South Conferences will square off in a mini bracket to race for the championship.

North Conference

Seattle Tempest

Record after Week 6: 3-1
Predicted Record: 6-2

The Seattle Tempest stormed onto the scene with something to prove and they’ve been knocking down anyone who stands in their way. They traded wins with Alpenglow and had some impressive wins over Utah Wild (and a 9 point spread in their win over Colorado) which sent their point diff soaring. It’s hard to see Tempest coming in anywhere but first in the North Conference. They have a tough game ahead against San Diego in Week 9. Then they’ll play Oregon and LA. They would need to drop a game to either Soar or Astra to give up their top spot, but even then that point differential will keep them floating above Colorado. Expect to see them at Championship Weekend with something to prove.

Colorado Alpenglow 

Record after Week 6: 3-1
Predicted Record: 5-3

Colorado Alpenglow are in their downhill era. Not that they’re getting worse, but they’ve done the hard work upfront on this 2026 regular season. They have hard games ahead, but barring something drastic, they’ll be making an appearance at Championship Weekend. They have two tough games coming up, but so long as they learn from them, it doesn’t matter whether they win or lose. Week 7 has them matched up with the Bay Area Falcons and Week 10 with San Diego Super Bloom. Those two teams are likely to take home the top two spots in the South Conference and punch their tickets to the championships. Alpenglow, assuming they also want to attend, needs to test out some strategy and learn how to take down these powerhouses when it counts in Portland.

Oregon Soar 

Record after Week 6: 2-3
Predicted Record: 3-5

Oregon Soar has been a team in search of a breakout. They’ve shown flashes of what could be, but their schedule hasn’t been the kind to build resilient teams. They’ve been shuttered in with only two other teams in their four games up until Week 6: Colorado Alpenglow and Utah Wild. They’ve done what they’re expected to do. They’ve won against Utah and lost to Colorado.

That gives us, and them, a sense of how they’ll play against the rest of the league. They had their first chance to break out of the nest, and they came up short against Seattle. The road ahead of them isn’t easy. If they want a shot at a championship they need to win the rest of the games this season and they need to do it by more than Colorado can beat the Utah Wild. The schedule in front of them is not going to let them do that. In weeks 10 and 12, Soar will have to rematch with Seattle and take on Bay Area, who is just beginning to show their teeth. Everyone loves an underdog, but it might not be in the cards this year.

Utah Wild 

Record after Week 6: 0-5
Predicted Record: 0-7

The Wild have not been having the season of their dreams. Halfway through the season and they are more than halfway through their schedule. Is that to say all hope is lost? Hardly. There’s still plenty of hope for their 2027 season. This 2026 squad has three games left to play. They may find some traction against LA Astra, but the last two games are against Colorado and, well, Colorado. There’s not much to recover in this season for the Utah Wild.

South Conference

San Diego Super Bloom 

Record after Week 6: 3-1
Predicted Record: 7-1

Super Bloom has been dominant since the beginning of the 2025 season and, until this weekend, they didn’t show any signs of stopping. The loss to the Bay Area Falcons this weekend has put some holes in the airtight ship. It’s a stark contrast to the early season win Super Bloom took home over the Bay in the first week of competition. It begs the question: is Super Bloom slowing down, or is Bay Area speeding up?

Super Bloom was the top seed in not only the South Conference, but the Western Ultimate League as a whole. While their point differential still puts them at the top of the conference, the pressure from the Falcons makes the end of season picture more interesting. They’ll take one of the two spots for Championship Weekend, likely the top spot. That probably means crossing over against Alpenglow. And that makes weeks 9 and 10 of this WUL season a preview of what’s to come in the postseason.

Super Bloom have four games left, two of them against the top contenders in the North Conference. Seattle Tempest in Week 9 and Colorado Alpenglow in W10. They don’t need to win those games to secure their post season spot, but their pride might say otherwise. A loss against Seattle might spell the end of their reign atop the pile in the South Conference. The pressure is a privilege. One that makes this squad thrive. So far no one besides Bay has found the e-brake to make this machine stop.

Bay Area Falcons 

Record after Week 6: 3-1
Predicted Record: 7-1

In a spicy game against San Diego, the Falcons just showcased their plans to upset the order of things. They seem to keep improving every week, and why shouldn’t they with the star studded roster they’ve put together? If this game against Super Bloom was the beginning of their revenge arc, then the games remaining in the regular season should keep them ramping up. They’ve got Colorado, LA, Arizona, and Oregon on the schedule, two of which are rematches. If they can put together some wins, and someone else can take a chunk out of Super Bloom’s point differential, then this team might be sitting on top when the chips are down in Week 12.

Arizona Sidewinders 

Record after Week 6: 2-2
Predicted Record: 3-5

The Sidewinders have a unique ability to make this game look really tough. They come out hard and fast like they want to control pace and dictate the game. But whether it’s late game legs or discipline or something else entirely, they fall off the tempo. They had a gutsy game against LA Astra to keep their win/loss even, but the teams at the top of the pile demand more than early game pace and athleticism. The end of their season isn’t packed with teams that will let them get away with sloppy work. They’ve got two games coming up that matter; Astra and Soar. But the odds aren’t in their favor with the Bay Area Falcons and San Diego Bloom rematches. They would need to win against Astra, Soar, and the Falcons to have a chance in any conversation about Championship Weekend.

Los Angeles Astra 

Record after Week 6: 0-3
Predicted Record: 1-7

The LA Astra are halfway through the season with only three games to show for it, all of them losses. They have five games left in the regular season, but the chances that they turn this season around now are low. Their road trip in Week 7 is shaping up to be the most interesting thing about the end of their season with games against the Utah Wild and a rematch against the Arizona Sidewinders. They might be able to muster up a couple of wins, but don’t expect that momentum to continue. The end of their season is packed with tough contenders; San Diego Super Bloom, a rematch with the Bay Area Falcons, and finally the Seattle Tempest.

Second Quarter: PUL Week 3 Recap

DC Shadow 15-10 Austin Torch

DC Shadow and Austin Torch came together not with a bang, but with a sizzle. Shadow has resurrected the shut down, no-nonsense play of 2025. It’s no surprise then, that they snuffed out Austin Torch in a 15-10 win. Austin is falling in the PUL standings, but may find some traction in their upcoming games against Nashville (Week 5) and Atlanta (Week 8).

Minnesota Strike 7-11 New York Gridlock

The Minnesota Strike fell 11-7 to Gridlock in the first game of their brutal two-game road trip. It was a low-scoring matchup heavily impacted by strong winds on a field surrounded by tall buildings. New York leaned on key performances from Yina Cartagena, Abby Hecko, and Jolie Krebs, while Emma Piorier faced her former team after playing for Minnesota last season. Mia Beeman-Weber was a bright spot for the Strike in an otherwise difficult offensive outing. Valeria Cardenas was rostered for New York but was a late scratch and did not play.

Minnesota Strike 14-16 Philadelphia Surge

The highlight matchup of the week came in the second leg of the Minnesota Strike’s doubleheader road trip, where they took on the Philadelphia Surge in a tightly contested battle. In challenging, rain-soaked conditions, Philadelphia held off a late Minnesota push to secure a 16-14 win, powered by early breaks and consistent offensive composure.

Minnesota began on offense, but Philadelphia’s defensive unit struck immediately, earning a run-through block on the opening possession to generate the first break opportunity. After the turn, the Strike set a zone defense off their O-line, likely to conserve energy in the second game of a back-to-back with limited numbers. The Surge handled it comfortably, converting the break through Lindsay McKenna to Zoe Costanza and adding another soon after to take early control, while also mixing in a junky zone of their own.

Despite the wet conditions — Philadelphia’s second straight game in the rain — their offense remained poised, with the Surge O-line staying calm and methodical against Minnesota’s zone. Minnesota, however, generated its own highlights, including a deep shot from Beeman-Weber to Steph Wood for a full-extension layout score toward the end of the first quarter and a blading flick from Sarah Mondschein to Jane Koch for another big play.

Minnesota nearly seized momentum at the end of the first half, completing a series of contested grabs after zeroes on the clock in pursuit of a two-for-one. However, an injury call from Carolyn Normile halted play and negated the continuation. The Strike couldn’t convert after the stoppage, and Philadelphia led 9-6 at halftime.

The second half opened with more Minnesota miscues, giving Philadelphia short fields, including a quick layout score to Abby Thompson. Midway through the third, the Strike switched to matchup defense, tightening throwing windows and forcing errors. Haley Challgren led the effort with two blocks, helping cut the deficit to 10-8.

Still, reset turnovers continued to hurt Minnesota, often handing the Surge easy opportunities. Even with Normile sidelined, Philadelphia maintained a three-goal lead entering the fourth.

The final quarter  turned scrappy, with drops on both sides. In a notable moment of sportsmanship, Minnesota overturned a mistakenly awarded goal due to a missed call on the mark, but scored soon after on a Makella Daley layout. The Strike pulled within one at 13-12 with just over six minutes left, sparked by a near full-field flick from Claire Lee to Frankie Saraniti.

Each time Minnesota threatened, Philadelphia responded with patient, up-the-line offense. A key defensive play from Olivia Steinberg set up the final score, as Grace Maroon secured a cross-endzone blading flick to seal the 16-14 win.

Philadelphia’s early breaks and composure in tough conditions ultimately made the difference in one of the week’s closest matchups.

Nashville Nightshade 5-22 Atlanta Soul

The Atlanta Soul dominated Nashville Nightshade in their home opener, winning 22–5 in a one-sided performance. Atlanta showcased a well-rounded team effort, with over five different goal scorers and five different assist contributors highlighting their offensive depth. Nashville struggled against Atlanta’s zone and with consistency in their downfield offense, repeatedly turning the disc over near the goal line and failing to convert sustained possessions into points. Sara Mog was a bright spot for Nashville, and a few of their goals came from sequences where she operated as the primary handler moving the disc.

Third Quarter: Falcons Spell Trouble for San Diego

In what some might call an upset, the Bay Area Falcons took down the title defenders San Diego Super Bloom in an exciting 18-15 regular season win.

This game was packed with action right from the start. The Falcons’ Brooke Nishida started off the first point with a layout D and followed it up with an assist to Bridget Wipfler. It was the kind of close quarters defense and quick turn offense that the Bay Area would use all game to keep San Diego on their toes. Super Bloom was quick to hit back with a pair of scores from Mereditch Byl and Abbi Shilts, showcasing the red zone efficiency that has made them such a threat.

The first quarter was an even battle. Momentum shifted in Bay’s favor in the second quarter when Reeve Grobecker flew through the center of the field with a huge layout block. It was one of 20 break opportunities the Falcons created, dwarfing Super Bloom’s 8. And it was the first sign of separation between the teams.

The Falcons may have started the game with pace and intention, but out of half, it was Super Bloom with more determination. San Diego chased, bringing the scores even again at 11-11 in the third period. San Diego held the score even at 13-13 going into the fourth quarter.

The final quarter was gritty. The Falcons must be training with a volleyball squad because they were digging that disc up out of the turf every other throw. Bay Area’s Eliza Chang kept the momentum going with a hand block, which ended its journey in Dawn Culton’s hands in the endzone. Culton, in particular, made her presence known in the fourth. It started out with a backup effort to keep a huck away from Bloom. Culton locked in with an easy handblock on the sideline to keep momentum for her team. She ended the game with two goals, one assist, and three blocks.

Meanwhile, San Diego was down and feeling the pressure. Catching up meant scoring. Quickly. Unfortunately for Super Bloom, what they got instead was a run of hucks that didn’t connect and timing that was slightly off. Laura Blume stepped up with a valiant effort logging two assists, no turns, and the kind of leadership that doesn’t show on the stats page. She was able to find spaces, open passes, and Kaela Helton in front of the end zone.

In the end, San Diego couldn’t battle through the shifting zones and quick transitions that the Falcons brought to play. These two teams will still stay on top of the South Conference: the only question is in what order. When they’ve come together, they’ve each won a game. Right now, San Diego’s point differential puts them on top, but that could all change when they reach Championship Weekend.

Fourth Quarter: Game Previews

Los Angeles Astra Road Trip

The LA Astra will board the buses this week to take on two opponents that should fall solidly within their wheelhouse: the Arizona Sidewinders and the Utah Wild.

This meeting with Arizona is a rematch of a game that took place only two weeks ago in Week 5, where Arizona won by just one point in overtime. Both teams have something to prove: Arizona that their win wasn’t a fluke, and Astra that they aren’t sinking after their year in the PUL.

The second game of this road trip comes against Utah. The Wild have been slowly settling into life at the bottom of the pile, but that doesn’t mean they’ll come out flat. A game against LA is a chance for Utah to scramble up from the bottom of the ladder. This game is likely to be emotional as the two teams struggle to put together some kind of progress in this 2026 season.

Highlight Game: Bay Area Falcons @ Colorado Alpenglow

The highlight game of the weekend is going to be this struggle between the Bay Area Falcons and the Colorado Alpenglow. Bay Area made it clear in their win over Super Bloom that they’ve found their stride and aren’t afraid to show it.

The Falcons showed us exactly how they want to play, big swings, power position, and movement that keeps the stall count under three. They rolled out two different zone looks against Super Bloom, but will those same looks work against Alpenglow? Colorado has relied on a strong handler core and athletic plays from their receivers. They’ll need a high completion percentage and a way to generate turns if they want to knock down the Falcons. In that regard, they might get some help from playing at altitude.

This game is the only time these teams will meet in the regular season, so it’s time to put up or shut up. One of them will come out victorious and that will almost certainly be the team on top when it comes to the conference crossovers on Championship Weekend. With similar play styles and big names on both rosters, this will be the game to watch in Week 7.

Milwaukee Monarchs @ Minnesota Strike

The Monarchs will look to build on their momentum after an upset win over Indy Red in Week 1. The Strike, meanwhile, are coming off a challenging Week 3 road trip, where they dropped two close contests to New York and Philadelphia. Now returning home, Minnesota will aim to reset and secure their first win of the season.

Highlight Game: NY Gridlock @ DC Shadow 

The highlight game of the weekend features an early heavyweight clash between New York Gridlock and DC Shadow, two undefeated teams that finished at the top of their respective divisions last season. With potential playoff implications already in play, this matchup offers an early test of two championship-caliber squads.

DC Shadow bring a composed, disciplined offensive system, comfortable working unders and methodically marching the disc downfield. They pair that patience with a disruptive defensive identity, applying constant pressure on the mark and limiting clean throwing windows downfield.

New York, meanwhile, thrives on explosive deep-space opportunities and athletic finishing ability. Led by elite throwers like Yina Cartagena — who has led the PUL in assists for three straight seasons with 84 — the Gridlock attack is built to stretch defenses vertically and capitalize on big, high-impact plays.

Philadelphia Surge @ Indy Red 

In this matchup, 2025 semifinalist Indy Red will look to bounce back after a one-point loss to the Milwaukee Monarchs in Week 1, this time with the advantage of playing at home. The Philadelphia Surge, meanwhile, will aim to keep their undefeated season intact after wins over Nashville and Minnesota — perhaps finally doing so in dry conditions after back-to-back games in the rain.

Raleigh Radiance @ Atlanta Soul

The Radiance will travel to Atlanta looking to bounce back after a tight Week Four loss to DC Shadow. The Soul enter the matchup with momentum after a dominant blowout win over Nashville Nightshade and will again have the advantage of playing at home. As the No. 2 (Radiance) and No. 3 (Soul) finishers in the South Division last season, this matchup could carry early playoff implications and potential tiebreaker significance as the standings begin to take shape.

WUL Power Rankings

• The Falcons jump back to #1 after getting a strong win over San Diego.

PUL Power Rankings

• Minnesota looked solid despite the 0-2 road trip to NY and Philly. They had a chance to beat the Surge late in the game. They climb a spot in the Power Rankings.