I had similar experiences with pitting Kerria and her raid boss team against them. Even if she was still standing, the fight against the ancient pest got hobbled by the losses of the other girls. On those occasions where my whale refused to do anything but the basic attack, things could get dicey. It's why I'm curious to see how well other defensive teams have managed.

As for the blooming, I know the feeling. I've been waiting on baited breath for Dianthus to get some love from on high.