The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful for the ultimate frisbee players who flooded into Columbus, Ohio for regionals last weekend. Oberlin’s Preying Manti descended upon the fields ready to cause some major upsets. The Manti entered the tournament ranked ninth of 14 teams and finished as the sixth seed.

In Saturday’s pool play, the fiercesome Manti came out strong, crushing Ohio State on their home turf with a score of 11-2. Next, the Manti met with Michigan State, and this time the team found itself well matched. Oberlin took the game to half with a score of 6-5, but in a wrenching turn of the tables, Michigan State wrestled the disc away and won 9-7 after the time cap went on. Not discouraged, the Manti were even more determined to squeeze tears out of their next foe, University of Illinois, ranked above Michigan State. After a long game, the Manti beat Illinois 10-8, breaking seed in the tournament. The rest of Saturday included handily beating Case Western 11-0, but then losing a hard, tiring game to Notre Dame 11-4.

Rachel “Blondes take no prisoners” Auerbach and Katrin “who let the dogs out?” Welch, as well as captains Erica “Diesel britches” Kapitan-Daniel and Elizabeth “no you can’t borrow my car” Harrison led the team in an amazing weekend. Additionally, rookies Laura “the Don” Boffa, Ilana “can I stop running yet?” Garcia-Grossman, Anna “vegan but bloodthirsty” Vanderhorst, Katherine “Princess DIE” Buckingham, Virginia “thirty-two flavors” Dreier and Sara “Skytown” Banks contributed greatly to the Manti’s success.

Anna “fast bull in a slow chinashop” Schuettge made mincemeat out of unsuspecting defenders and offenders alike, while Caitlin “I’m fine besides the horrible pain” Cordell rallied her sick and suffering self, playing handler in point after heroic point. Betsy “picturesque”  Verhoeven, the most improved player of the semester, impressed everyone with her solid throws and even more solid catches. During cheers, her inspirational, high-pitched tones could be heard only by the highly attuned senses of the Preying Manti. Naomi “cleats of fire” Siegel provided team inspiration and competent handling.

Caitlin “I broke myself” Reid looked on from the sideline, where she and Michael Welch, Katrin’s father, provided a more raucous and encouraging sideline than Ohio University ever had.

The Manti finished sixth in the Regionals tournament, climbing up the rankings with the grace and ease of a long-limbed, unsympathetic insect of prey. Catherine “carnivorous grin” Noll summed up the team’s sentiment: “Even if we didn’t make natties [nationals] at least we roughed ‘em up. We showed ‘em what Obie ultimate is made of — more than skin and bones.”