The Red Conference yielded the biggest shockers of the Women's Premier League's opening weekend. San Diego traveled to the reigning champion's home field in New York for its first-ever WPL game, and returned home with a 34-3 win.

Not to take anything away from the Surfers' victory, but the outcome says a lot about New York's lineup. With only two returning backline players with WPL experience, and a slew of veterans either retiring or moving from the area, New York is a much different, younger team in 2011.

But San Diego looked good. And the Surfers defended incredibly well, holding up a number of tries. Mandy Wilson got the try-scoring going, finishing off a quick-tap penalty that worked through Marea Blue and Emilie Bydwell (formerly with Beantown).

New York slotted its lone points soon afterward, making good on a penalty deep in Surfer territory (5-3).

Jill Duggan quick-tapped through another penalty, hit Liz Strohecker, who dished to Kristy Lear for the try, 10-3.

New York had its opportunities to minimize the damage, but the defending champs kept floundering the grounding of the ball in the try zone. New York couldn't unleash its backs as well, as Bydwell and wing Casey Fields did well to corale any outside attacks.

Lear had what would have been her second try held up, but the Surfers kept pounding on the try line. Fields accounted for the next two tries, one that evolved after a long series on the goal line; the other coming from a Blue break up the field and was kept alive by the quickly supporting Kirstin Hartos. The center hit Fields for the corner try, 20-3.

At this point, the Surfers had earned their bonus point for four tries scored, but San Diego still had some gas in the tank. Blue scored after dummying to Lear, and Bydwell ate up 50 meters of green before dotting down the final try of the game, 34-0.

In Minnesota, it wasn't so much that Twin Cities beat the Minnesota Valkyries, who have the historical edge over their crosstown rivals - it was the margin by which the Amazons defeated the Valks. The Zons began the season with a 62-10 win.

"It was a bit rough," Valkyries' Kristin Zdanczewicz said. "It was a learning experience for us. we have some new faces, and it's a matter of learning how to defend together and connect on offense. Our goal is to be a better team after each match. The Zons have been together for awhile and played well today. It will be interesting to see each other at the end of the season and see how we developed.