2023 WNXL Windy City Major
The 2023 WNXL Windy City Major was the second professional event of the 2023 WNXL season, held from 15 to 17 September 2023 at Chicago Gaelic Park in Oak Forest, Illinois, United States. It formed part of the 2023 NXL Windy City Major.[1][3]
The Heroines won all six of their matches, defeating Cheetahs 2–1 in overtime in the final. The result brought The Heroines level with Destiny at the top of the season standings, one point ahead of Cheetahs.[2][3][4]
Venue and format
[edit]The tournament took place at Chicago Gaelic Park, 6119 West 147th Street, Oak Forest, Illinois.[1]
The professional women's competition featured eight teams playing Xball, with 15-minute matches and a five-point mercy rule. Each team played four preliminary matches, with the top two teams in each bracket advancing to the semi-finals and then the championship final.[1][2]
Participating teams
[edit]The professional field comprised:[2][3]
- Cheetahs
- Dallas Vibe
- Destiny
- Femmes Fatale
- New Jersey High Rollers
- Northern Lights
- St. Louis Arch Angels
- The Heroines
Match results
[edit]Preliminary round
[edit]Each preliminary match is listed once below.[2]
| Team | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| Destiny | 2–3 | Cheetahs |
| Destiny | 5–0 | St. Louis Arch Angels |
| Destiny | 5–4 | Dallas Vibe |
| Destiny | 6–1 | Femmes Fatale |
| Femmes Fatale | 0–5 | The Heroines |
| Femmes Fatale | 4–3 | Dallas Vibe |
| Femmes Fatale | 5–4 | St. Louis Arch Angels |
| Dallas Vibe | 3–4 | New Jersey High Rollers |
| Dallas Vibe | 5–1 | St. Louis Arch Angels |
| St. Louis Arch Angels | 3–2 | Northern Lights |
| The Heroines | 4–0 | New Jersey High Rollers |
| The Heroines | 5–0 | Northern Lights |
| The Heroines | 4–2 | Cheetahs |
| Cheetahs | 6–1 | Northern Lights |
| Cheetahs | 3–1 | New Jersey High Rollers |
| New Jersey High Rollers | 6–1 | Northern Lights |
Play-offs
[edit]| Round | Team | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-final | Cheetahs | 3–1 | Destiny |
| Semi-final | The Heroines | 4–2 | Femmes Fatale |
| Final | The Heroines | 2–1 | Cheetahs |
Source: official tournament scores.[2]
Tournament summary
[edit]The Heroines completed the preliminary round undefeated. Destiny and Cheetahs each recorded three wins and one defeat, while Femmes Fatale qualified with two wins and two defeats.[4]
The Heroines defeated Femmes Fatale 4–2 in their semi-final. Cheetahs defeated the season-opening tournament winners, Destiny, 3–1 to reach their second consecutive final.[4]
Final
[edit]The Heroines scored first, but Cheetahs equalised after Lauren Weeks defeated Alexis Lazer in a one-on-one confrontation. Neither team scored again during regulation time, leaving the match tied at 1–1.[4]
In overtime, both teams lost a player off the break. A move through the centre by Krista Titus helped The Heroines secure the deciding point and a 2–1 victory. Iconic Paintball selected Titus as its WNXL event most valuable player.[4]
Final standings
[edit]The official season record lists the following event positions and points.[3]
| Position | Team | Event points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Heroines | 100 |
| 2 | Cheetahs | 96 |
| 3 | Destiny | 93 |
| 4 | Femmes Fatale | 90 |
| 5 | New Jersey High Rollers | 86 |
| 6 | Dallas Vibe | 84 |
| 7 | St. Louis Arch Angels | 82 |
| 8 | Northern Lights | 80 |
Season championship implications
[edit]Following the tournament, The Heroines and Destiny each held 193 season points, with Cheetahs on 192. The championship remained undecided ahead of the 2023 WNXL World Cup.[3][4]
Women's amateur competition
[edit]A separate WNXL Amateur five-player competition was scheduled for Sunday, 17 September, using five-minute games.[1]
| Position | Team | Event points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suricatos Women | 100 |
| 2 | San Francisco Sirens | 96 |
| 3 | Midwest Warmaidens | 93 |
| 4 | Sacramento Storm | 90 |
Source: official WNXL Amateur season record.[3]
See also
[edit]- Women's National Xball League
- 2023 NXL Windy City Major
- 2023 WNXL Sunshine State Major
- 2023 WNXL World Cup
References
[edit]- PBLeagues – Windy City Major 2023: dates, Chicago Gaelic Park venue and competition formats.
- PBLeagues – NXL Windy City Major 2023: WNXL match scores.
- PBLeagues – National Xball League 2023 season rankings: professional WNXL and WNXL Amateur event positions and points.
- National Xball League and Iconic Paintball – NXL Windy City Major Recap, Tampa Bay: Back to Back, PBFit: Best Divisional Team Ever?, Quinn Nadu, 25 September 2023.