After going 2-2 during pool play at the NE Regional tournament this past weekend, A&B defeated Tombstone in the "game-to-go" and earned a trip to the 2007 UPA Championships in Sarasota, FL at the end of October.
A&B, as a team, is four years old and will be attending the UPA Championships for the fourth straight year. But even though the trip to Florida may appear to be part of the annual ritual for the squad, there were many questions surrounding A&B's ability to qualify in 2007.
In the NE Region, the team comprised of old school Boston players, Big Ego Ultimate, and a team resembling the 2006 NE Regional champions, Tombstone (GLUM), were two powerhouses that could potentially derail A&B's return to Sarasota. And after pool play on Saturday, with all teams holding seed, it appeared that potential could become reality.
On Sunday morning, A&B matched up against Not Dead Yet, a team they had narrowly defeated on Saturday, in the 3/4 game. The winner of this game would play the loser of the 1/2 game in the "game-to-go." Despite the name of their opponent, A&B easily dispensed of Not Dead Yet, who definitely did not hold true to their name. The final score of the 3/4 game was 15-3 in favor of A&B.
Above and Beyond's next opponent would be Tombstone, who went down to the Boston boys (old men) in a hard fought match. A&B broke Tombstone on the second point of the game to go up 2-0 and never looked back. Both teams saw their defense make a few runs throughout the game, but the A&B squad was stronger in that final game and came out victorious, sending the Canadians home with a final score of 15-11.
