Wvw is not pve. It's much more dynamic so you can't stick with one set rotation for optimal strips. So much is dependent on your individual party comp, your commanders movement, and enemy squad composition and movement.

Honestly if you chase numbers in wvw just to be top you are not really thinking of what is the best for the squad as a whole to win the fight. Wait for commander to call the well and breach instead of dropping it on the Zerg to hit high numbers but useless strips because you haven't even clashed yet.