The USA women's sevens team has reached the quarterfinals of the Dubai Sevens, but the Eagles didn't exactly cloak themselves in glory in getting there with a 1-2 mark in pool play on Thursday.

Dubai is usually an unforgiving place to kick off the HSBC World Series for the USA, as the country is 12 time zones away from the Eagles' regular training ground in Chula Vista, CA.

The USA was hoping to go at least 2-1 in Pool A but saw a slightly scraggly defensive line give up three tries to France in a 19-17 loss. That was a tough early setback for the Eagles, but Naya Tapper scored twice against South Africa to even things at 1-1 with a 19-15 victory.

That left New Zealand, and with England and Ireland already at 1-2, the USA could lose and still make it as one of the two best third-place teams. Ireland was at minus-33 points difference, and the Eagles entered the game against New Zealand at a plus-2, meaning a loss of 35 points or more would see the Americans playing for ninth.

They lost by 31. That was good enough. Tapper and Nicole Heavirland scored tries to lead the USA, while New Zealand's Portia Woodman torched the Eagles.

Friday's quarterfinals will see the USA and New Zealand (seeded No. 8 and No. 1, respectively) play once more. There's little reason to believe the Americans will win, so the plan should be to shoot for fifth and valuable World Series points. 

Defending series champion New Zealand achieved a perfect 3-3 record to set up a cup quarterfinal meeting with USA, while Australia's three pool wins puts them head-to-head with England in the last eight. Canada, third in the overall standings for 2016-17, will play France in its quarterfinal, while Russia takes on Spain. The Challenge Trophy semifinals will be Ireland vs. Japan and South Africa vs. Fiji.

New Zealand will be looking to improve on its almost faultless 2016-17 series in which it lost just one of 30 matches. Black Ferns sevens flyer and recently crowned World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year Michaela Blyde is eager that the team continues as they started.

"Morale is pretty high," she said. "It's the first World Series tournament and one of our favorites so we are on a really good high and can't wait to play on day two. No matter what team you play or how many tries you score or how often you win, sevens is always a really tough game but it's all about tomorrow."