DeKALB – Around 200 supporters came together Wednesday to show their support for the two sororities competing in the opening match of the 2022 Panhellenic Council (PHC) Women’s Tugs competition. Alpha Phi won the day after its defeat of Alpha Sigma Alpha in three rounds of tug-of-war.

Alpha Phi chapter president and first-rope tugger Isabella Quiroz said preparation for the tournament was more mental than physical.

“Just getting your mind right, ready to work,” Quiroz said about the team’s preparation for the match. “Because, like, our last match, you didn’t know how long it was going to go so you have to be prepared for them (the opponent).”

This year’s competition originally featured five teams: Alpha Phi, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Delta Zeta and Delta Gamma. PHC president Honor Morgan said the latter two sororities dropped out due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sorority membership numbers.

“Less teams could participate just because they didn’t have the same membership that we used to have five, six years ago,” Morgan said.

Morgan added that all proceeds collected for the event will be donated to Circles of Sisterhood. She described the organization as a charity that builds houses and school buildings to support the education of women.

The sororities commenced the matchup with their first-rope tuggers manning the rope. After beginning in a closely-contested battle, Alpha Phi pulled away in the late stages, overpowering Alpha Sigma Alpha in the later stages of the contest.

The lineups of second-rope tuggers prepared for the second round with Alpha Phi at an early advantage. Alpha Sigma Alpha rallied back with a victory after keeping the rope’s center marker on its side.

“A little sloppy but it’s not anything crazy,” first-rope caller Jacob Hinkle said. “We still busted our asses during those 15 minutes. Those girls did not give up one bit and I can’t be more proud of them.

Alpha Sigma Alpha’s win forced the match into the third round to determine a winner. The deciding round was a lengthy one that saw Alpha Phi come out on top with steady gain on the rope’s steady mark in the later stages.

“(The) girls gave 160% and that’s all I could ask for,” Hinkle said. “They went out there and showed them exactly what we learned all year at practice.”

Alpha Phi will advance to the championship round to face off with last year’s champions, Sigma Sigma Sigma, at 2 p.m. Saturday at 1201 N. Stadium Drive.