Photo by Alan Bloodgood
JULY 16, 2025
By Kyle Turnbaugh
The DC Breeze (7-4) will hit the road for one final tune-up before the playoffs against the Philadelphia Phoenix (5-6) on July 19. A few weeks ago, many pundits predicted this game would be a high-stakes playoff decider, but with the Breeze clinching the second seed and the Phoenix plummeting down the standings, both teams have little to play for but pride. The Breeze are hot, winning four of their last five, meanwhile, after a 3-1 start, the Phoenix have gone 2-5. Their only wins during that period are against Central Division bottom-feeder Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and the Montreal Royal at home, a squad with a dismal road record. They suffered one-goal losses to New York and Boston throughout the season that could have changed their fortunes, but ultimately, the Phoenix’s inability to close out games cost them their chance at the playoffs.
The obvious context to this game is the week one meeting between the two sides, in which the Breeze fell to the Phoenix for the first time since 2017 and dominated the UFA media circle for the next week. The game encapsulated a lot of the Breeze’s early season issues, including a season-high 28 turnovers off of 21 throwaways and seven drops. The disjointed DC offense attempted an uncharacteristic 12 hucks, completing only two, as the offense staggered to a 39% O-line conversion rate. Despite only seven Breeze players managing a positive +/-, DC only lost by one goal and had the chance to tie the game in the final seconds but couldn't quite manage it due to an unfortunate drop from Theo Shapinsky.
The Breeze will take this game as an opportunity to rest some key players, but also to give chances to players who haven't gotten as many opportunities as others. The Breeze will be sidelining some players who have struggled with injury throughout the season, such as Miles Grovic, Cole Jurek, Christian Boxley, and Charlie McCutcheon. Alexandre Fall and Thomas Edmonds will also receive some well-deserved rest. On the other hand, Xavier Schafer and Zack Burpee, who have gotten limited opportunities during the regular season, will get a chance to show off their skills. Isaac Lee and Luke Rehfuss will return from long-term absences and will get to use this game as a chance to warm up for the playoffs. It's a win-win situation for the Breeze, who have struggled with injury all season, as they give players an opportunity to focus on recovery before the playoffs.
Despite Philadelphia’s recent struggles, the DC defense will still have their hands full with the Phoenix’s collection of stars, such as Sean Mott, Scott Heyman, and Sam Grossberg. The defense is anchored by Paul Owens, Nate Little, and Jack Wisner. The Phoenix go into this game at nearly full strength, but how hard they will play remains to be seen. Either way, the Phoenix would surely like to complete a season sweep over the Breeze to end their campaign positively. The Breeze, on the other hand, will still have that loss fresh on their mind and will look to get revenge against Philadelphia, while simultaneously not risking any injuries before a huge playoff matchup against the New York Empire. There is also something to be said about momentum. Recently, the Breeze have improved by leaps and bounds on the defensive side of the disc, and the offensive style has become much more clearly refined as the season has gone on. It would be undeniably valuable for the Breeze to take this game seriously and reap the benefits of preparedness, as they get ready to host the Empire in the playoffs.
Catch the DC Breeze as they travel to the Turf Field at Neumann University in Aston, Pa. to take on the Phoenix. First pull goes up at 6:00 PM ET. Streaming available on watchUFA.tv.
