PRESS RELEASE (Ellensburg, Wash.) – USA Rugby AIG Women’s Junior All-American interim Head Coach Wil Snape has selected the starting XV for Wednesday’s match against Canada, the first of two in the Under-20 Can-Am Series powered by ATAVUS at Central Washington University.

The Aug. 19 matchup is the first between the two nations at the under-20 level since the AIG Men’s Junior All-Americans traveled to British Columbia for a World Rugby U20 Trophy Qualifier series earlier this year, and the first in the women’s game since last year’s Can-Am Cup in Ontario.

Since the 2013 U20 Nations Cup, featuring the WJAAs, Canada, England, and South Africa in England, the WJAAs have lost to Canada on four consecutive occasions. Current Women’s Eagles Meya Bizer, Jordan Gray, and Hope Rogers were members of the 2013 team, as was Gabriella Cantorna, who starts at flyhalf Wednesday.

The senior Eagles defeated Canada at the inaugural Women’s Rugby Super Series in July, for which the return of the National All-Star Competition helped provide nearly a dozen debut caps. At the same NASC at James Madison University, Snape and company scouted potential WJAA representatives.

Ashlee Byrge, Kyla Chipman, Frieda Fetu’u, McKenzie Hawkins, Azniv Nalbandian, Danielle Ordway, and Abby Vogel will start tomorrow’s match with redemption on the mind, having been part of the 2014 losing efforts against Canada. Sheila Decker, Caitlin Whiteside, and Adriana Zeiders will be available from the bench, which also features Girls High School All-Americans powered by ATAVUS graduates Emily Prentice, Kat Ramage, and Leti Hingano.

“As a coaching staff, we’ve been really impressed by the level of performance of the team both on and off the field this week,” Snape said. “Everyone has put their hand up and they’ve challenged each other to raise standards every day.

“It’s an exciting group of players. They know we’ll need to push ourselves beyond where we’ve been before and they’re ready to express themselves against Canada.”

Chipman will captain the WJAAs from the No. 8 position Wednesday. The first match of the Under-20 Can-Am Series powered by ATAVUS will be streamed live here from Wildcat Rugby Pitch on the Central Washington University campus at 4 p.m. PT.

What does Rugby Canada say about its U20 team? Read more here.

AIG Women's Junior All-Americans | v. Canada U20
1. Azniv Nalbandian
2. Etta Mailau
3. Abby Vogel
4. Jennifer Johnson
5. Frieda Fetu'u
6. Taylah Pipkin
7. Michel Navarro
8. Kyla Chipman (C)
9. Carly Waters
10. Gabriella Cantorna
11. Ashlee Byrge
12. McKenzie Hawkins
13. Asinate Serevi
14. Tess Feury
15. Danielle Ordway

AIG Women's Junior All-Americans | Reserves
16. Emily Prentice
17. Sheila Decker
18. Sadia Crosby
19. Francesca Schaeffer
20. Adriana Zeiders
21. Kat Ramage
22. Leti Hingano
23. Caitlin Whiteside

Canada U20s | v. USA
1. Jocelyn Berteit
2. Gillian Boag
3. Emily Tuttosi
4. Natalie Kwiecien
5. Jenna Thompson
6. Brooke Newsome
7. Katie Svoboda (C)
8. Gabrielle Senft
9. Karina Stevenson
10. Jaelei Meyer
11. Dana Silerova
12. Kelsey Owen
13. Britni French
14. Petra Woods
15. Alysha Corrigan

Canada U20s | Reserves
16. Morgan Walker
17. Joanna Alphonso
18. Meggie Turgeon
19. Alex Ellis
20. D'arcy Dickinson
21. Justine Pelletier
22. Madison Brattan
23. Maddy Graham

AIG Women's Junior All-Americans | Coaching Staff
Wil Snape - Interim Head Coach
Kate Daley - Assistant Coach
Kittery Wagner - Assistant Coach

AIG Women's Junior All-Americans | Can-Am Series
v. Canada - Wednesday, August 19 - 4 p.m. PT - Central Washington University
v. Canada - Saturday, August 22 - 11 a.m. PT - Central Washington University