The USAU Club Series is in full swing, as Machine looks to qualify for Nationals this weekend at the Great Lakes Regionals in Rockford, IL.
Based on Machine's top 4 finish at Club Nationals in 2015, and their attendance at two USAU Triple Crown Tour event's (the US Open & Pro-Elite Challenge), they were able to advance directly to Regionals without attending Sectionals.
The Great Lakes Region has two bids to Nationals up for grabs after both Machine and Michigan's High Five finished in the top 16 of the USAU Regular Season Rankings.
Machine enters the tournament as the overall number 1 seed, and will dive straight into a double elimination bracket to determine first and second place.
Full Game Schedule: http://play.usaultimate.org/events/Great-Lakes-Mens-Regionals-2016/ or here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BpXOR8SHgTeCgMSjf8ad42DuCuif9AaATYmbxF1cwRg/edit#gid=1841845737
Machine expects to have their full roster healthy and in attendance for the first time this season, with all 27 players expected to dress. Machine will also be keeping close tabs on the Women's and Mixed division play over the weekend, which takes place at the same complex. Chicago's elite women's team Nemesis and "elite" mixed "team" UPA are both fighting for a single bid to Nationals, entering the weekend as the number two seed in their division's behind respective teams from Columbus, OH.
To follow along for live updates: http://twitter.com/machineultimate
Check back after the tournament for a recap, highlight video, and much more throughout the season!
Two weekends ago, Machine traveled to the east coast for their final regular season tournament, the Chesapeake Open. The tournament took place in Boyds, Maryland, a small town between Baltimore and Washington DC, which was temporarily doubling as the hottest place on earth. With temperatures hitting triple digits, and the heat index cracking 120, Machine withered en route to a 6th place finish.
Machine expected a full roster of 27 for the weekend, only missing veteran coach Andy Neilsen, but ended up losing a few key players on short notice. Jesse Buchsbaum was sidelined due to a lingering leg injury, Ron Kubalanza was unable to make the trip due to last minute issues, Bob Liu sat with wrist issues for the first half of day 1, and Von Alanguilan missed most of Sunday with a knee injury. Despite the losses, Machine still had its largest roster of the season, aided by the late season addition of Julian Childs-Walker (formerly of Sockeye/ Sub Zero). The XL roster and sideline support from several friends and family with food, drinks, and ice, helped Machine manage the dangerous weather with very few heat related issues. The tournament volunteer staff was on top of providing shade, water, and ice, adjusting the tournament format to shorten games, and building in an extra bye for all teams during the hottest portion of the day.
Despite being prepared off the field, Machine’s on field performance looked anything but. The tournament started out smoothly, as Machine got out to an early lead, taking half 7-4 over Raleigh’s Ring of Fire. Machine continued to apply pressure, generating multiple breaks in the second half, closing out with a 13-7 victory. The momentum would not carry over against Machine’s next opponent, New York PoNY. Both teams started the game by trading points, but Machine’s O-line stumbled late in the first half. A 3 break effort by Machine's defense was able to keep things close, going into half down 6-7. In the second half, the offensive struggles persisted and the defenses ability to generate turns and convert break opportunities dried up, allowing PoNY to stretch their lead, handing Machine a 9-13 loss.
During a tournament wide bye for the heat, Machine headed to a local restaurant for food and air conditioning. Despite the loss, Machine still controlled their destiny to finish in the top two of the pool and earn a Sunday bye to quarterfinals. To do so would require beating Atlanta’s Chain Lightning and Toronto’s GOAT to finish the day. Unfortunately, Chain Lightning had other things to say about that. The first half went very similar to the start of the PoNY game, with Machine getting a few breaks, but giving up more. In the second half, Chain began to pull away, before a late push by Machine narrowed the gap to tie things up. A Chain Lightning break to go up 12-11 then coincided with the hard cap going off, handing Machine their second defeat of the day. Hoping to salvage some momentum going into the bracket, Machine laced up against GOAT in the final match-up of the day. In a turn of fortune, the offense began to click in the first half, but the defense looked increasingly ineffective. A few hiccups in the second half cost the O-line breaks, but a back breaking 30 minute long point, in which Machine was unable to convert, sealed the deal, as GOAT walked away with a 9-8 victory under the setting sun.
Machine had little downtime to do anything but sleep after finally leaving the fields at 7:30pm and before being back at the fields the next morning at 7:00am.
With a fresh slate, Machine looked to put day 1 behind them as they faced off against Florida United, a team they previously beat in a close contest at the US Open. While the O-line and D-line had their struggles at times, down 1-2 points throughout the game, a break to take half and a late surge was enough for Machine to take back control, giving Machine a 13-12 pre-Quarter victory. Advancing to quarterfinals, Machine was excited to have a chance to avenge the previous days loss with a rematch against PoNY. An early break gave Machine some life, but PoNY was quick to even things back up, and converted an additional break to create separation. Machine’s d-line again struggled to take advantage of several opportunities to convert scores, and the offense ran out of steam as they grinded through several long points. PoNY kept their arm’s length lead throughout, eventually winning 13-11
Relegated to the 5th place bracket, Machine had another date with Ring of Fire. The game went very much the same as day 1, with Machine’s white line defense grabbing a few early breaks. The offense struggled at time, but consistent pressure on the turn was able to keep Ring out of the end zone, ultimately allowing Machine to hold. Machine kept a comfortable lead throughout, winning 11-8. In the final rematch of the day, Machine took on GOAT once more for 5th place. The game had a loose feel to start, but both teams quickly ratcheted up the intensity. Keeping with the theme, the rematch looked an awful lot like the original, with GOAT breaking early and often, then both teams traded out until it was GOAT for the win at 9-13.
A long, hot, and frustrating weekend on the field, Chicago was happy to get back home and reflect on the struggles. Following the tournament with an off-weekend provided a much needed physical and mental break. Machine now sets it sights on the post-season, with the start of the USAU series taking place at Great Lakes Regionals in Rockford, IL on September 10/11 (previously set for Joliet, IL).
Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter until then!
Full Tournament Score Reporter
TL:DR
Our weekend in a nutshell...
Machine heads to Maryland this weekend to compete in the 2016 Chesapeake Open. The tournament is Machine's third of the season, and their final regular season event prior to the start of the USAU Series. In Machine's previous two tournaments, the US Open and the Pro-Elite Challenge, Machine finished 1st and 3rd respectively. Though the Chesapeake Open is not part of the USAU Triple Crown Tour, Machine elected to attend based on scheduling fit, the high quality of competition, and cost differential from the Pro-Flight Finale in Portland, OR.
More information on the tournament schedule and attending teams can be found at http://play.usaultimate.org/events/Chesapeake-Open-2016/
Machine will compete in the Elite Division as the second seed in Pool B. Their pool includes Toronto's GOAT, New York's PoNY, Raleigh's Ring of Fire, and Atlanta's Chain Lightning. The top two finishers in the pool will advance directly to Sunday's Quarterfinals. Fourth and Fifth place pool finishers will cross over with Pool A in Pre-Quarters, and 3rd place pool finishers will play the pool winners from the Open Division.
Full Game Schedule: http://play.usaultimate.org/events/Chesapeake-Open-2016/schedule/Men/Club-Men/
Machine is expecting to send the entire roster of 27 to Maryland, but will be without Coach Andy Neilsen. Neilsen will be at the Youth Club Championships in Blaine, MN coaching the Illinois' U19 team. Per usual, several players are nursing mid-season injuries but are expected to test the waters come Saturday: Alex Evangelides (groin), Percy Stogdon (foot), and Brett Matzuka (attendance uncertain due to moving). [Update: Not expected to dress are Jesse Buchsbaum (shin tear) and Bob Liu (wrist).] Machine will however be featuring a new addition to the squad, adding Julian Childs-Walker to the roster, a travel player with connections to the team through past playing experiences with Machine counterparts at Carleton, Sockeye, and Sub Zero.
The trip to Maryland holds extra significance for local home town hero, Ben Spielman, who grew up in Potomac, MD, just 20 minutes from the tournament fields. "Psycho Ben", as he is affectionately and ironically called by teammates due to his even keel demeanor, is looking forward to a chance to play in front of family and friends.
To follow along for live updates: http://twitter.com/machineultimate
Check back after the tournament for a recap, highlight video, and much more throughout the season!
ICYMI: Our US Open Highlight Video -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsLe2UGYnsU
Machine ventured west to the Rocky Mountains for last weekend’s Pro-Elite Challenge in Denver Colorado. An almost full squad ended the weekend with a 5-1 record and a 3rd place finish.
Missing only Nick Prozorovsky (wedding) and Percy Stogdon (in attendance but injured), Machine started the weekend out against regional counterpart High Five (Michigan/ Ohio). Both teams traded points to start the game, but Machine was able to gain separation after High Five had a series of miscues in the backfield, as they adjusted to the thin air carrying discs further than expected. Machine played comfortably to a 7-3 halftime lead before High Five was able to pressure Machine into several throwaways in the second half, leading two breaks. Machine was able to respond after both breaks, and after a few late breaks of their own, finished with a 13-7 rout. An underlying story to the game was the seamless integration of several players not in attendance at the US Open, including D-line starters Mike Schwenk, Alex Evangelides, and Stephan Mance, as well as O-line stalwarts Ron Kublanza and Brett Kolinek.
After a second round bye, Machine faced off against local Denver squad, Inception. The hometown men came out aggressive, connecting on several deep shots in stride to a 4-4 stalemate. The Machine defense was then able to tighten the screws, slowing down disc movement, and capitalizing on the turn by converting 7 of 8 opportunities to convert a break score. A 7-4 halftime lead was stretched to a 13-6 final, as the Machine offense did not have a single turnover for the game.
In the last round of pool play, Machine matched up against Kansas City’s Prairie Fire, with a chance to win the pool and earn a bye into Quarterfinals. Despite a poorer conversion percentage on both offense and defense, Machine was able to grid to another 7-4 half-time lead. The Machine o-line grinded hard on the turn, getting the disc back several times as the team pushed ahead for 13-7 victory.
With an early end to the day after winning the pool, Machine was able to take advantage of the great outdoor Colorado scenery, with several players enjoying the opportunity to swim in the Platte River rapids.
On Sunday, Machine crossed paths with Madison Club in the quarterfinals. Madison jumped out to an early lead off an offensive miscue, and controlled the game early on. Machine brought Goose Helton, AJ Nelson, and Brett Matzuka over to the D-line going into half and was able to break to put the game back on serve 7-6. Madison would respond again early in the second half, and Machine saw itself playing from behind in a second half for only the second time this season. At 12-12 Machine pulled on universe and was able to generate a high pressure turnover before working it up for the game winning score.
Advancing to semi’s, Machine took on another local squad in Denver’s Johnny Bravo. Both team’s traded until 3-3, when Bravo was able to take advantage of Machine execution errors. As the game wore on, Machine looked flat, and Bravo continued to accelerate scoring on quick string plays and capitalizing with break side hammers and blades for efficient breaks. A late push was not enough, as Bravo extended a 7-5 halftime lead to a 13-10 victory. The weight of the loss fell heavily on the Machine D-line, who was unable to generate many turns, and had very poor conversion percentages on the opportunities they did receive.
Out of contention, Machine dropped to a 3rd place consolation game against High Five, who had lost to Truck Stop in the other Semi (Truck Stop would go on to beat Bravo in Finals). The rematch from day 1 had a very different feel, as High Five played clean offense and regularly found deep receivers for 1-2 pass points. Losing Pawel Janas and Ron Kubalanza to injury, Machine’s offense had up and down stretches, and High Five was able to convert break opportunities to take half. Similar to the Bravo game, Machine’s D-line struggled to convert break opportunities, but some timely conversions closed the gap in the second half, giving Machine a late lead at 13-12. With the cap not yet on, each team would trade until hard cap, with Machine squeaking out a 15-14 win and 3rd place finish.
With time to kill before flying back to Chicago, Machine met up with Chicago’s elite Women’s team, Nemesis, for some bocce and bags prior to departing for home.
Machine continues its 2016 season this weekend at the Pro-Elite Challenge in Aurora, CO, a tournament featuring 16 of the top US Men's, Women's, and Mixed teams. Machine enters the tournament as the number 1 overall seed after winning the US Open earlier in the month.
More information on the tournament schedule and attending teams can be found at http://play.usaultimate.org/events/US-Open-Ultimate-Championships-2016/
Machine will complete pool play against Michigan’s High Five, Denver’s Inception, and Kansas City’s Prairie Fire. The top finisher in the pool will advance directly to Sunday’s quarterfinals, the second and third place finishers will move into pre-quarter games on Saturday afternoon, and the fourth place finisher will move into a non-bracket round robin.
Full Game Schedule: http://play.usaultimate.org/events/TCT-Pro-Elite-Challenge-2016-Colorado-Cup/schedule/Men/Club-Men/
Select games will be recorded via Ultiworld – Machine is not currently slated to appear on the broadcast schedule unless in semi-finals.
Machine will be sending an almost full roster of 25 players, only missing Nick Prozorovsky to a non-injury related conflict. While several players are nursing mid-season injuries, every rostered player is expected to cleat up, with Bob Liu (wrist), Jonathan Helton (leg), Stephan Mance (shoulder), and Percy Stogdon (foot) being game time decisions. Machine will also be joined for the first time this season by out of city player Alex Evangelides (San Francisco, CA) who has been stationed in Nairobi for the past month on business. Also making their first tournament appearance for the season will be veteran O-line handlers Ron Kubalanza and Brett Kolinek. The D-line will see the first time appearances from staples Mike Schwenk and Stephan Mance, along with rookie Joshua Stevens-Stein.
Regardless of outcomes, you can expect Machine to bring a strong Bushwhacking game to the sidelines. (We don’t know why we are into this right now, we just know we are.)
To follow along for live updates: http://twitter.com/machineultimate
Check back after the tournament for a recap, highlight video, and much more throughout the season!
On Wednesday, July 27th, Machine will be participating in a scrimmage against the US Men's Under 20 team from 8:30pm - 10:00pm at North Central College in Naperville.
The Men's Under 20 team is a collection of the top young players from across the country, who are currently in Chicago for a week long training camp prior to traveling to Wroclaw, Poland for the World Junior Ultimate Championships.
Coached by Chase Sparling-Beckley, Sam O'Brien, and George Stubbs, Machine will face off with the U20 team under the lights at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium on North Central College's campus. The game will start immediately following the U20 Women's scrimmage with Chicago's Elite Women's team, Nemesis at 7:00pm - 8:30pm.
Both scrimmages are open to the public. Come see the future stars of the sport as they prepare to represent the country at the world level!
Update:
Post-Scrimmage Facebook Post- Machine had the opportunity to scrimmage against the US Men’s Under 20 team yesterday evening in Naperville. (Both the US Men’s and Women’s Junior National teams are conducting week-long training camps at North Central College, prior to departing for Poland for the Junior World Championships next week.)
The scrimmage was competitive and high energy from start to finish, with numerous displays of elite athleticism and highly skilled execution on both sides. Machine came away with a W, but it was clear that the US U20 team is discipline, spirited, and talented beyond their years. It is a testament to the organization of their coaching staff and the dedication of their players. We are happy to have had the opportunity to meet these young ambassadors of US ultimate and to have had the chance to help them in their preparation for a run at a gold medal. We will be following their progress closely, and are very confident they have what it takes to become world champions in Poland! Good luck!
Graphic designer Tim Vo has a knack for creating one of a kind sublimated ultimate jerseys (evidence). Tim recently connected with Machine to offer his services in designing a customizable reversible tank for Machine's alter ego, MeanMachine.
Tim teamed up with MeanMachine and AGW Ultimate to produce these lightweight reversible jerseys, and now you can order one for yourself for a limited time.
The number and text above the number (i.e. 00, "Honk Honk") are fully customizable. The red side of the jersey includes the full text essay on Walden Nelson written by an anonymous Machine teammate... which was removed multiple times from the Machine website by Walden Nelson...
Full Details/ Pricing:
Recently, Chicago Machine has made appearances on television news broadcasts in two of our primary target markets; Milwaukee and Mexico.
Last week, former Machine player Carl Deffenbaugh started reporting for Fox 6 News in Milwaukee. Carl's Bio. While breaking an important story about a wiffleball tournament taking place at the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Convention Center, Carl had an opportunity discuss his background as an ultimate frisbee player.
After demonstrating his cutting and catching prowess, Carl made sure to show off his beautiful Machine Ultimate disc, holding it front and center for the camera. As a reminder, that very same disc is available for purchase on our team store!
Machine's big break into the Milwaukee limelight comes just weeks after gaining major traction with our Mexican fanbase, following a news piece airing on Televisa Deportes, Mexico's largest national news channel.
Televisa reporter, and Instagram model, Gina Holguin was visiting Chicago with her film production crew to cover the Mexican national team's progress in the Copa America soccer tournament. Looking to make the most of their time in the Windy City, they reached out to Machine as part of a series of pieces on local developing sports.
Gina and crew then joined a few members of Machine during a pod workout, jumping right into a variety of drills. In a stroke of luck, first year Machine player Michael Pardo happened to speak fluent Spanish, providing a much needed ambassador for the team who was able to answer interview questions in the native language.
The news piece which aired nationally in Mexico can be viewed below!
We will be sure to keep you abreast of any other news media appearances involving Chicago Machine in locations that start with the letter M.
With a stout squad of 19, Machine trekked to Rhode Island to celebrate a nation's birth day with its first ever US Open, and first ever US Open win. Over four days, Machine played teams from across the Americas, finishing with a 6-1 record, a check for $2,000, and a long list of things to work on for the future.
The holiday weekend started out early on Friday with a game against Ki.e, a Colombian team with many players fresh off a Quarterfinals appearance at WUGC in London. Ki.e jumped out to an early lead before Machine ratcheted up the defensive intensity and started forcing the cutters to go deep. Taking half 8-5, Machine created significant pressure in the second half, forcing many "coverage sacks" en route to a 15-6 win. Michael Pardo gave an extremely brief salute in Spanish, and Machine prepared for their next contest against a similarly short-handed team in Florida United.
Machine went up early on Florida, capitalizing on throwaways and drops. Jeremy Langdon was a matchup headache throughout, and was bolstered by an athletic handler-driven offense. Machine was up as much as 12-8 before a Florida run brought the score to 12-11 in a game to 13 .The D line was called in and rolled up the field to the goal line before a handblock gave Florida United an opportunity to tie the game going downwind. Neal Phelps had other ideas, and his first pass Callahan sealed the win for Machine 13-11.
Machine decompressed with a trip to the beach, and hit the sack early prepare for three games against three strong teams.
First up on Saturday was Sockeye, along with the return of Team USA gold medalists Goose Helton and Brett Matzuka. The game was hotly contested from the start, with Machine struggling to pressure the Seattle offense and athletic Sockeye defenders making things difficult for the Machine O. In fact, Machine failed to produce a turnover on Sockeye's offense until the D broke to tie the game 7-7 before Sockeye took half 7-8. In the second half, Machine's d brought the pressure, forcing multiple turnovers and tying the game at 9 all. On the ensuing point, Machine had numerous chances to take the lead, but the Sockeye O held strong, giving their defense a whack. The Seattle D made the most of their opportunities and broke four times in a row to bring the score to 9-14 in favor of Sockeye. The teams traded out for a 10-15 loss for Machine.
More work remained, and Machine bounced back against General Strike, a speedy team from Winnipeg. General Strike was unable to go deep effectively, and Machine played with a chip on their shoulder, taking half 8-2. The second half saw more of the same, but the offense sputtered, allowing its first break of the game on the way to a 15-7 final.
Standing at 3-1, Machine was giving the opportunity to play into the semifinals, but only if they could beat long time rival Madison Club, also at 3-1, having beaten Sockeye and lost to Florida United. A win sends Machine to the semis, a loss to the 5th place bracket. Machine started intense, breaking on the first point, and several more times in the first half with tight marks and pressure on handlers. A stacked D line at 7-5 forced four turnovers but couldn't find the endzone. The O held quickly to take half 8-5. The O held again out of half and the D broke for a 10-5 lead. Despite multiple chances for the Madison D, the Machine O held all of their opportunities and were unbroken through the game. The teams traded until Machine broke for a 14-8 win and a spot in the late semifinal against Boston Ironside.
The hometown fans were out in force for Ironside, and Machine gave them reason to get pumped with two turnovers to start and two quick breaks for Ironside. Down 2-0, the D line came in on offense and hucked from Sheehan to Pardo to get on the board. Worse yet, Boston added another break for a 5-2 lead. The O got back in control with a hold and the D broke on three of the next five points sparked by a D from Von Alanguilan on a crossfield throw. At 7-7 Machine broke again to take half back on serve 8-7 on a highlight grab by Alanguilan from Brett Matzuka, one of his game-high 6 assists. An Ironside miscommunication out of half gave Machine a short field and a 9-7 lead. The pressure from Ironside increased, but the Machine O held strong, surrendering no breaks in the second half. An Ironside turn at 14-12 gave Machine a chance to break and, after a timeout, Andrew Sheehan found Walden Nelson upline for the goal and the win, 15-12.
Another day of waiting found Machine in the late final with a rematch against Sockeye. A swirling wind swept across the field causing unpredictable disc action, but Machine won the flip and chose to receive going upwind. Systematic unders and uplines led to a short away shot from Pawel Janas to Cullen Geppert for the early hold. Machine broke downwind to take a quick 2-0 lead. All game, both teams were plagued by drops and misthrows in the wind, with Sockeye making just a few more short field mistakes than Machine. A big upwind hammer from Goose to Von gave Machine the half, and a poach D from Alanguilan on the first D point out of half brought the lead to 9-5. Sockeye would turn up the defensive pressure later in the half, but only notch one break and a Matzuka backhand found Bob Liu for the game winner, 15-12.
Blame Snapchat for Vertical Video
Blame Snapchat for Vertical Video
Shorthanded teams and strange conditions abounded in this early season tournament, and Machine was able to come out on top. Not satisfied with this result or the weak conversion rates on O and D, Machine will be hitting pods and practices hard in preparation for Colorado Cup at the end of July. Make sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook until then!
Machine is set to kick off the 2016 season this weekend at the US Open in Kingston, RI. The US Open is a four day tournament, running from Friday (7/1) through Monday (7/4), and features several of the top US and International teams. The tournament is run in conjunction with the USA Ultimate convention, a series of speakers and seminars on a variety of ultimate related topics from leading figures across the US.
More information on the tournament and convention can be found at http://play.usaultimate.org/events/US-Open-Ultimate-Championships-2016/
Machine will complete pool play against Seattle Sockeye, Madison Club, Florida United, Ki.e (Colombia), and General Strike (Winnipeg) over two days before moving onto bracket play.
Full Game Schedule: http://play.usaultimate.org/events/US-Open-Ultimate-Championships-2016/schedule/Men/Club-Men/
Select games will be live streamed via ESPN3 – Machine is not currently slated to appear on the broadcast schedule unless in semi-finals or beyond.
Machine will be sending a smaller roster of 19 players, with several players missing for non-injury related reasons (Ron Kubalanza, Alex Evangelides, Mike Schwenk, Nick Prozorovsky, Brett Kolinek, Stephan Mance, and Joshua Stevens-Stein). Despite the smaller squad, there will be plenty of time for bonding, as the team will be residing in a 10 room dorm suite at the University of Rhode Island campus, a short drive from the Atlantic coast. Machine will also be joined for the first time this season by out of city players Travis Carpenter (Indianapolis, IN), Bob Liu (Raleigh, NC), and Goose Helton/ Brett Matzuka (returning from the World Championships in London as gold medal winning members of Team USA).
To follow along for live updates: http://twitter.com/machineultimate
Check back after the tournament for a recap, highlight video, and much more throughout the season.