Photo by Leo Troconis

MAY 28, 2024
By Marissa Kleckner

Coming off a bye week after an exhilarating double overtime win against the Philadelphia Phoenix, the DC Breeze take on the Toronto Rush at home before heading north to face the Boston Glory in a crucial matchup for playoff positioning.

Friday will be DC’s third home game in a row before heading back on the road for a quick turnaround into Sunday’s game in Boston.

This will be DC and Toronto’s first matchup of the 2024 season but the second game between the Breeze and Glory. Last season, the Breeze swept the Rush taking both games by over five points. When DC and Boston met in week three, the Breeze defeated the Glory in a nail-biting game, squeezing out a 12-11 win in the last seconds of the game.

Going into this weekend’s doubleheader with a 3-1 record, the Breeze look to continue their perfect record within the division. DC is currently second in the division only behind the Empire (4-1) with Boston (3-2) in a close third while Toronto (1-2) is fourth.

For the first time in many years, the East Division is up for grabs. DC, Boston, and New York all have the potential to take the division. Winning two more division games this weekend would set the Breeze up very well within the East.

Stepping into the next phase of the season, the team is looking to capitalize on the full clock, which has been a weakness for the squad over the past two seasons. Treating each period like it’s the fourth quarter and playing a consistently strong game from the first pull to the last buzzer are two benchmarks the team is striving to meet.

“[I’m] looking forward to working as a team to have each set of 12 minutes be an advantage for us,” head coach Lauren Boyle said.

Going into week six, the halfway point of the 2024 season, Boyle has begun to reflect on the team, as well. Up to this point, the Breeze have worked to find their strengths, have shown snapshots of their potential, and are striving to continue to reach their goals.

“There were glimmers of what 2024 best Breeze could be,” Boyle said. “There is still work to do to find excellence consistently.”

The Breeze host the Rush this Friday at 7 p.m. at Catholic University's Carlini Field. Tickets are available at thedcbreeze.com.