This time last year, the Philadelphia Surge were feeling robbed. The city’s women and gender-expansive pro ultimate frisbee team had to watch the league’s playoff games, despite having a strong case that they should be in them.
This year, the Surge not only made the Championship Weekend, it will be hosting it at Drexel’s Vidas Field.
The Surge finished the season second in the North Division, with five wins and one loss. Soiles said that the defeat to New York Gridlock and its league-leading offense served as a wake-up call for the team.
“Up until that we hadn’t really been challenged,” said Emma Soiles, a Surge team captain and cofounder. “All our wins were blowouts and I think that was really the first time we got hit back. As a team we kind of had to reckon with that.”
The Gridlock were a stumbling block for the Surge last season, though more passively. When it came time to select the wildcard spot for the postseason, New York was picked over Philly — even though the Gridlock lost two of its games in the regular season, one of which was to the Surge — after a committee vote. The decision and its perceived subjectivity drew plenty of skepticism on ultimate socials.
Standing in the way of the team’s path to the championship game are the DC Shadow, which topped the South Division and finished the regular season undefeated, along with New York.
While preparing for the Shadow, Soiles said that she and other team members realized they may have been taking things too seriously before the New York game.
“Since the New York game, we really have taken a step back and like really made an effort to enjoy every single second playing with one another and like pushing each other, but like with a competitive spirit that is with positivity and a little more fun,” Soiles said.
Soiles also serves as the secretary at-large for the league, and was part of the process of deciding which city would get to host Championship Weekend. She said the league’s board initially chose Valley Forge’s bid, but the Surge were able to convince the board that Drexel was a better option. Soiles said it was a no-brainer, based off of Philly’s league-topping attendances and atmosphere.
Home advantage doesn’t hurt either when you’re potentially taking on the league’s two undefeated teams in 48 hours (with apologies to the 3-3 Austin Torch), and Soiles is expecting the crowd to continue to be the Surge’s eighth player during the games.
”I think they’ll help motivate us, keep us focused, keep us in the game,” she said. “Even if DC gets a score, or a break, or whatever. I feel confident that the crowd will keep cheering us on and keep us pushing forward.”
Philly’s semifinal game against the Shadow is on Saturday at 7 p.m., after the Gridlock take on the Torch at 4 p.m. the winners of those games face off in Sunday’s final at 2 p.m.
Tickets for the weekend are available on the PUL’s website. Children 12 and under get in free. The Philly region is under an Excessive Heat Watch through Sunday night, so stay safe and prepare accordingly.
