The Big Four are back in semis - Fury, Brute Squad, Molly Brown, and Scandal - but who's taking home the trophy this year?
October 25, 2026 by Graham Gerhart in Recap
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SAN DIEGO – It took a while to get here, with plenty of surprises along the way, but the same four teams that have defined the last decade of ultimate return to the semifinals to once again determine the pecking order between the lot of them. Boston Brute Squad, Denver Molly Brown, Washington DC Scandal, and San Francisco Fury officially cemented themselves as the top four teams in the nation. Now the fun begins.
Semis at the Club Championships is always the best round of women’s ultimate. The stakes are high, the margins are small, and the teams are familiar with each other. Fury will face Brute Squad in the semifinals, a new iteration of a classic matchup. These two teams have faced off four times in semis since 2010 and five times in finals since 2010. They’re so inherently familiar with each other that it’s become tradition at this point for them to face off in high pressure games. They own the semifinals. This is their domain.
In contrast, Molly Brown and Scandal are the two disruptors made to take down the dynasties. Fate has forced them to take on each other before getting a chance at the crown, but they’ve become the people’s champions just by virtue of not being Fury or Brute Squad. No matter what, we aren’t getting a Boston vs. San Francisco rematch in the final, and it’s because one of either Denver or DC is going to make it all the way. All that remains to be seen is which team will make it there.
Thanks to our knowledge about these teams, previewing them isn’t an issue. We could have written one when the season started and covered most of the beats ahead of time. The joy of these matchups are in the nuances, though. To end the anticipation, here’s everything you need to know about these two games before they get started.
#2 San Francisco Fury vs. #3 Boston Brute Squad
Well, they’re back at it. At this point, neither of these teams needs a scouting report on the other, they need couple’s counseling. Boston Brute Squad have the most recent Nationals victory from last year’s championship, but Fury have the most recent victory from their semifinal matchup at the US Open. All this to say, it’s a toss up between these two. Past results aren’t always as predictive as we’d hope, so despite our best guesses, the most recent data points we have are what they’ve done at Nationals so far.
Of all the teams headed to semis, Fury had the “hardest path” after pool play. It wasn’t a cake walk for them in their pool, either. The team seemed to be breezing through Friday’s games before running into Nightlock, who took advantage of Fury’s less-than-perfect start to the game and went up 4-0. While Fury managed to quickly reassert themselves and pull out a 15-10 win, it was an asterisk on their pool play performance.
Compared to their opponents, Fury’s quarterfinals game was a downright disaster. BENT scored seven points against them, the highest score of any losing quarterfinalist. BENT already proved their bona fides in a universe match against Molly Brown on Friday, so it was not a fluke that they managed to put up points against Fury. BENT scored the first point of the game thanks to their offensive action catching Fury off-guard, only to have Fury go on a defensive tear and quickly take a commanding 4-1 lead.
While BENT were able to play solid offense against the storied San Francisco defense, they couldn’t get a single break in the quarterfinal game, even with Fury making their fair share of mistakes on offense. For a while now, Fury have embraced their mistakes and focused on trusting their defensive prowess to win them the disc back. It worked against BENT, but it didn’t work against Boston the last time they met at Nationals.
Speaking of Boston, their path to the semifinals wasn’t as perilous. Their game against Toronto was closer on paper than it felt in the moment, and they rarely looked like they weren’t in control from start to finish.
For a brief moment in their quarterfinal against Seattle Riot, it looked like that could shift, as Riot opened the game with a break. A disconnect between Boston’s backfield gave the disc to Riot, and they were happy to convert that into a goal thanks to Lauren Page roofing Kelly Hyland. But that small moment of confidence deserted Riot almost immediately. It didn’t take a stadium or bright lights for Riot to feel the pressure of the moment, and they made a host of unforced errors throughout the game. This does not downplay Boston’s role in their win; the pressure they exert is the story here. Riot struggled to make routine plays because they could feel Brute Squad bearing down on them.
Fury won’t be dealing with that same existential dread Riot experienced, but they aren’t immune to pressure. Just go back and watch their final against Brute Squad last year to see how Boston can get under their skin. Fury definitely want to avenge that loss, but the two teams are in lockstep with wins and losses against each other. When facing off in semis, the teams sit at 2-2, with Fury getting wins in 2010 and 2022, while Boston won in 2019 and 2023. Recent history favors Boston in this matchup, but wisdom favors Fury. No team is better at addressing mistakes and coming back stronger. Fury also improved their roster thanks to additions like Dawn Culton and Alex Barnett.
No bookie would want to go anywhere near this game, and even degenerate gamblers would struggle to find something to latch onto. The game is rigged, and it favors the fans. No matter who comes out on top, it’ll be fun to watch.
While it’s hard to say who will win, there are a few more predictable elements. Expect Fury to come out in a traditional horizontal offense that dares the opponent to beat it. Fury excel in identifying what their opponents are trying to take away and exploiting the opportunities that develop from it. They have plays they can run, but more often try to play within the flow of the offense. Handlers will push downfield to get in power position and cutters will stretch the field horizontally to set up strong lateral gains. On defense, Fury like to sit in the under space with help over the top, allowing players in the thrower’s blind spots to aggressively hunt for blocks. They communicate better than anyone and are quick to switch defensive assignments when needed.
Brute Squad are a little harder to pin down, but they still have preferred plays. They will often set up a side stack to initiate their offense, and rely on a vert stack when they are within the flow of the offense. The team prides itself on aggressive handler cuts that either set them up in power position or open a wide lane for easy swing passes. On defense, no team is better at denying handlers from setting up in the positions they favor, and they will often set up a poach on the open side to deny easy downfield momentum.
Past battles also give a sense of the matchups we’ll see in the semifinal. Walczak on Scazzieri is a fun one right off the bat. Two of the best European players in the world trying to one-up each other never gets old, and Walczak is one of the few players who can beat Scazzieri in a straight line dash for the disc. Laura Ospina and Kirstin Johnston took turns marking each other at the US Open and there’s no reason to think they won’t again on Sunday. Dena Elimelech and Becky Malinowski is also an interesting matchup that will be a battle for the sky when they meet.
The list of matchups between the two teams is extensive because when it comes down to it, both programs are filled with exceptional players who can take on multiple marks. The best way to know defensive assignments is to tune into the game. It’s all but guaranteed to be worth your time.
#1 Washington DC Scandal vs. #4 Denver Molly Brown
This matchup between Scandal and Molly Brown has the potential to be an instant classic. While Fury and Brute Squad is a reiteration of a dance we’ve seen many times before, Molly Brown and Scandal promises something new and exciting. They’re also a great contrast. Scandal are the sure thing, having played like the best team in the world this season with consistent game plans and results. They don’t give up easy points, they don’t take unnecessary risks, and they don’t lose games.
In contrast, Molly Brown are all about chaotic potential. This is the same team that had to grit out universe wins against the third and fourth seeds in their pool. They’ve been known to throw themselves out of games and stage miraculous comebacks when they’ve been written off. No one knows what to expect from Denver when they walk on the field, but it’ll be fun, that’s for sure.
For Molly Brown, the question marks come down to their record. Denver is the only top four team to lose to an opponent outside of the teams that made semis this year. Their loss to Riot is only offset by their emphatic win over Brute Squad at the US Open, but they also lost to Scandal at that same tournament in the only game the two have played this year. Scandal were the better team by a single point that day, and Molly Brown have a lot of questions to answer if they’re to silence the doubters.
They may have already started down that road during the quarterfinal round, thankfully. Denver imposed their will on a Toronto 6ixers team that had been turning heads thanks to an undeniably talented roster. But Denver was unfazed, throwing wave after wave of defenders at the Canadians, and they quickly wore down the offense with their athletic effort. When you can throw out a line with both Carmen La Gala and Valeria Cardenas, it’s going to be exceptionally difficult for any offense to score without a little bit of luck. Toronto’s luck ran out in their game, and Molly Brown kept applying the pressure until they comfortably slotted in a 15-6 win over the no.6 seed at the tournament.
Scandal were somehow more nonchalant in their game against Pittsburgh Parcha. In prequarters, Parcha proved their worth through excellent offense. Scandal’s defense made those same offensive players look juvenile, mostly was due to Scandal’s marks. Parcha’s throwers struggled to make the routine throws they had completed against Nightlock because they had to second-guess every throw to avoid getting handblocked. Scandal knew what Parcha wanted before they even threw it, and were extremely effective in shutting down the deep game that had been Parcha’s outlet in previous rounds.
That same defensive pressure is exactly what Scandal will bring against Molly Brown. Nothing will come easy for the Denver squad. The communication and mark discipline Scandal employ can shut down an offensive set all on its own, forcing teams into high stall situations. Denver is adept at handling these moments, and has the throwers to beat even the best mark defense in the nation, but that’s only one side of the coin. Scandal’s downfield defense is filled with athletes like Ashleigh Jentilet and Amanda Murphy that dare throwers to make tough throws in tight margins. If Molly Brown are not selective with their shots, Scandal will have plenty of chances to test out their D-line’s offense.
That’s nothing new for Denver, though. While they don’t have the same number of reps against Scandal that Fury and Brute Squad share, they’re no strangers to this team. When Scandal re-emerged as a title contender in 2023, it was the reigning champion version of Molly Brown that they beat in the semifinal game to make it to the final. They’ve seen each other plenty of times since then, including at the aforementioned US Open this year. If that universe game is any indication, we’re in for a treat.
Of all the teams left standing, Denver’s the hardest to pin down. Thanks to the many line changes they’ve made throughout the season, it’s been hard to keep track of the their primary players and the roles they’ll fill. They have seemed to settle on an offensive line that features the likes of Claire Chastain, Aurora Lesnik, Manu Cardenas, Alyssa Perez, Fiona Cashin, Sarah Taggart, and Ronnie Eder. These players have proven to be offensive marvels, but are importantly equally talented at winning the disc back after the turn. Lesnik, Cashin, and Cardenas built their brands around defense early on in their careers, and while they’ve blossomed into offensive threats, they haven’t forgotten their roots. Good luck finding better two-way players.
Molly Brown favor a split stack on offense that allows two players to start in isolation and set up the rest of the downfield cutters. It quickly melts into a horizontal stack, but they have transitioned to vertical offense when it suits them. Their D-lines often stay vert the moment they get the turn, allowing their capable handlers to marshal the counterattack without too much clutter. Most importantly, they favor deep cuts that allow players like Valeria Cardenas and Alika Johnston to launch big hucks.
Scandal’s distinct lines play offense very differently. They have some that focus on a deep vertical stack with under cuts from the front and deep cuts working off the initial movement, but they have other lines that prioritize a more classic horizontal cutting pattern. Denver will have to game plan for all of it, as Scandal cycle through lines very liberally, helping avoid fatigue and injury. There’s no single player that’s going to dominate a point, although Claire Trop and Kami Groom continue to be the focal points of their respective lines.
This does make matchups harder to predict. Clearly we’ll see some moments of Trop vs. Manu Cardenas, but it’s more likely that Denver will give Manu a different matchup so she can help downfield instead of having to play honest with her mark. How Scandal handle Molly Brown’s taller players will also be worth tracking. Carmen La Gala is a walking mismatch, and Scandal might adjust lines to ensure Allie Wallace or Verena Woloson are on the field to shut down the European import. For Valeria Cardenas, Marie Perivier was often given the task of limiting Denver’s star this season, and there’s no reason to think that won’t be the case again.
Going down the list could be a whole article, so we’ll hold it there, but what should be clear about the matchups in these games is that there are plenty of big names on either side who demand respect and are going to get matchups worthy of their talent.
Some (Light) Predictive Stumping
So when the dust all settles, who’s making it out of the semifinals? With the oddsmakers in shambles and the fates choosing to stay well clear of this one, it’s hard to make any concrete predictions. Still, if one is to try to peer through the crystal ball for these games, using recent history as your guide isn’t a bad idea.
Sitting at 27-0 in USAU play, Scandal have yet to show they can be beaten, so until it happens, it’s not wise to bet against them. They’re still the team with the best chance to win it all despite missing out on the final last year. Molly Brown are also too streaky to comfortably bet on winning this game. If you’re looking for a lock, go for Scandal.
On the other side of the bracket, Fury vs. Brute Squad betrays no real edge any team can hold. One thing in Fury’s favor is the general health of the team. They look like they’re peaking at the right time and everyone is bought into the system. Fury also have more motivation than Brute Squad on this one, as revenge is a powerful motivator. It can also cloud judgement, and Brute Squad capitalize on the errors in judgement that their opponents seem to provide in spades. While Fury might seem set up for success this time around, Brute Squad have had their number recently. This game seems primed for another Boston victory on the thinnest of margins.
Brute Squad vs. Scandal in the final is what the consensus seems to be from around the division, so it’s all but a guarantee it’ll be wrong. No matter the outcome, though, it’ll be a great day of ultimate.
