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4/30/04
SUWRFC Opens Spring Season with Win Harrisburg, PA - The Susquehanna
University Women's Rugby Football Club's preparations for the East Coast D-3
Women's Championships got off to a good start with a 32-12 victory over a
much-improved Muhlenberg College WRFC side. Both teams took it right at each
other from the starting kickoff, but the SU pack quickly blew the carbon out
of the motor and began running at full tilt. With a scrum at the Mules' 22
meter line, captain Emily Wade called for a weak side pick by #8 Kerin
Luneberg. Luneberg picked up the clean ball provided to her, and raced around
the unsuspecting weak side flanker, then outraced the winger to the corner of
the try zone for her first 5 points of the season. A windy day would play
havoc on the conversion kicks for both sides, and Wade missed her first kick,
but SU was on the board 5-0. Muhlenberg stormed back at the kickoff, and some
SU bobbles allowed them to take possession. A missed tackle here, and an
offside there, allowed the Mules to close in on the SU try line. From about
10 meters out, the Mules ran weak and after a ruck touched down for 5 points
of their own. The conversion kick sailed cleanly through the uprights, and SU
found itself in very unfamiliar territory, down 7-5 early in the match. The Orange and Maroon
didn't stay down long, though. The SU pack left their mark all over the match
with great support running that made it look as if SU had more than fifteen
on the pitch at times, and blazing scrums that left the Mule pack wondering
what hit them. The good support running that the forwards were giving the
backs would soon pay off as, Lock, Becky Steiner, took an outlet pass and
raced around a Muhlenberg winger, and took it the final half of the pitch for
the score. The conversion kick missed, but SU had regained the lead, 10-7,
and would keep it for the remainder of the match. Susquehanna was soon
knocking on the door again, and found themselves on the Mule 5 meter line,
when referee, Sherri Magnuson, awarded a penalty to SU. Wade tapped, and
dished to Steiner who took her more traditional route to the try zone,
bashing her way through the defense and touching down for 5. Wade made a
terrific strike on the conversion kick from the side angle, and normally
would have nailed it, but the wind blew it right back onto the pitch, and SU
was up 15-7. The backs joined in the fun with Inside Center,
Erica Nelson, finding her happy place after carving up the Muhlenberg defense
for her first try of the season. Another missed conversion, but an expanding
lead resulted with SU seemingly in control 20-7, as the half ended. The
second half opened up similarly to the first, with both teams hammering at
each other from the start. Muhlenberg's improved passing and running provided
a healthy test for the SU defense which came up with air instead of tackles
at times. Once SU got down to business, though, it didn't take long for them
to get back on the scoreboard. Off a scrum near midfield, Wade called an
inside switch to Nelson, who waltzed through the gap and cha-cha'd all the
way to the posts. Wade nailed the conversion, and the score ran to 27-5 in
favor of the Orange
and Maroon. Muhlenberg simply would not go away, and put SU right back on the
defensive soon after the ensuing kickoff. Rucking and running to the SU 5
meter line, the Mules were awarded a penalty kick after an SU infraction, and
took advantage of SU's flat-footed defense to maul their way into the try
zone for the score. The conversion kick missed the mark, but things began to
look interesting with a score of 27-12 with lots of time remaining. The
SUWRFC stepped up, yet again, and would not allow any more scoring by their
opponents. Again, it was the forwards who took control, and set the tone. The
power of the SU pack proved too much for Muhlenberg, and the scrums had to go
uncontested from about half way through the second half. The power and
support of the pack, though, had blown the game open. Effective running by
the SU loose forwards, Nicole Arnold, Tara Reed, and Luneberg, made it a long
day for the Mule defensive line, and it was Luneberg who closed out all
scoring with a run that left the defense and spectators with jaws agape.
Running around the weak side, she appeared dead-to-rights when two Mule
defenders converged. With one move, she faked both into colliding with each
other, leaving her with mud and grass in front of her as she outraced her
pursuers to the try line. Steiner's conversion kicked failed, but the last
nail was in the coffin, and the half played out to the final score of 32-12.
The SUWRFC Killer B's took to the pitch with giddy anticipation by the
rookies, and the veterans brimming with confidence. The forwards made it an
all-SU match, with scores by #8 Amy Smith, Lock Meg McGee, and Hooker Kim
Brunner, who used her face to control the ball as she placed it in the try
zone. All three of McGee's kicks missed the mark, but the Killer B's had the
win 15-0. Although the forwards did all the scoring, the backs put together a
solid match, with good tackling and passing. The rookies all did a super job
and looked like they were having fun in their first action as full-on rugby
players.
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4/10/04
Lafayette Forced to Cancel…SUWRFC Wins Anyway Harrisburg, PA - The
Susquehanna University Women's RFC played the Harrisburg Women's RFC on
Saturday, and came away with a 12-10 victory over their capital city hosts.
Playing in Harrisburg due to a cancellation by
Lafayette College, SU played the senior women's
club B-side (with some of their starters seeing action after a hard battle
with Doylestown WRFC). For the Orange
and Maroon, the match turned out to be more than just a good tune-up for the
West Chester Women's Classic. The SU forwards continued their dominance by
winning nearly all of the scrums on the day. Using just one set of locks in a
match for the first time all season, as well as having Amy Smith playing
Eight instead of Lock, SU scrum pushed their opposites backward at nearly
every opportunity. The SU backline perpetuated their practice of pounding
their opponents with hard tackles. They also ran the ball forward with gusto,
then not allowing any running room when Harrisburg
did the same. SU struck gold early, when Smith got a pass off a quick post
and raced into the Harrisburg
try zone for her first score of the season just minutes into the match.
Fly-Half, Emily Wade, drilled the conversion. The rest of the half played out
fairly even, as SU went into the half with a 7-0 lead. Harrisburg kicked off to open the second
half and quickly showed SU there was lots of rugby left to play (literally!).
Taking the match to SU, Harrisburg
began to build momentum off of SU penalties, and moved deep into SU
territory. With Harrisburg
knocking on the door, though, the SU forwards stepped up and pushed maul
after maul backwards or into touch. Harrisburg's
first scoring chance was thwarted with a tremendous shove into touch by the
SU pack. Harrisburg
roared right back, however, winning the lineout and pushing in the ensuing
maul for a well-earned five points. The conversion kick missed the mark, and
SU's lead was cut to 7-5. Using a deep kickoff from Wade, SU was soon back on
Harrisburg's
doorstep. Utilizing the power of the scrum, Scrum-half, Sara Lampe picked the
ball from the base of the scrum and made a nice weak side move to score SU's
second try. Wade missed the conversion, but SU had opened up the match 12-5. Harrisburg would have
none of it, however, and came back yet again and closed the gap to 12-10
after a try and missed conversion. SU stood their ground and kept making
solid tackles, and continued to run the ball well. Offsides penalties kept SU
from the try zone again, however, and Harrisburg
continued to threaten as the second half stretched from the agreed-on thirty
minutes, to a leg-breaking fifty minutes! The SU defense did its best Fruit
of the Loom impression by always snapping back after being stretched by Harrisburg's runs,
allowing SU to weather many a scoring threat. Mercifully, referee, Mike
Shultis, blew the match up for a final score of 12 - 10 in favor of the
SUWRFC.
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3/04
Harrisburg, PA – The Susquehanna University Women’s Rugby Football Club’s
preparations for the East Coast D-3 Women’s Championships got off to a good
start with a 32-12 victory over a much-improved Muhlenberg College WRFC side.
Both teams took it right at each other from the starting kickoff, but the SU
pack quickly blew the carbon out of the motor and began running at full tilt.
With a scrum at the Mules’ 22 meter line, captain Emily Wade called for a
weak side pick by #8 Kerin Luneberg. Luneberg picked up the clean ball
provided to her, and raced around the unsuspecting weak side flanker, then
outraced the winger to the corner of the try zone for her first 5 points of
the season. A windy day would play havoc on the conversion kicks for both
sides, and Wade missed her first kick, but SU was on the board 5-0.
Muhlenberg stormed back at the kickoff, and some SU bobbles allowed them to
take possession. A missed tackle here, and an offside there, allowed the
Mules to close in on the SU try line. From about 10 meters out, the Mules ran
weak and after a ruck touched down for 5 points of their own. The conversion
kick sailed cleanly through the uprights, and SU found itself in very
unfamiliar territory, down 7-5 early in the match. The Orange and Maroon didn’t stay down long,
though. The SU pack left their mark all over the match with great support
running that made it look as if SU had more than fifteen on the pitch at
times, and blazing scrums that left the Mule pack wondering what hit them.
The good support running that the forwards were giving the backs would soon
pay off as, Lock, Becky Steiner, took an outlet pass and raced around a
Muhlenberg winger, and took it the final half of the pitch for the score. The
conversion kick missed, but SU had regained the lead, 10-7, and would keep it
for the remainder of the match. Susquehanna was soon knocking on the door
again, and found themselves on the Mule 5 meter line, when referee, Sherri
Magnuson, awarded a penalty to SU. Wade tapped, and dished to Steiner who
took her more traditional route to the try zone, bashing her way through the
defense and touching down for 5. Wade made a terrific strike on the
conversion kick from the side angle, and normally would have nailed it, but
the wind blew it right back onto the pitch, and SU was up 15-7. The backs
joined in the fun with Inside
Center, Erica Nelson,
finding her happy place after carving up the Muhlenberg defense for her first
try of the season. Another missed conversion, but an expanding lead resulted
with SU seemingly in control 20-7, as the half ended. The second half opened
up similarly to the first, with both teams hammering at each other from the
start. Muhlenberg’s improved passing and running provided a healthy test for
the SU defense which came up with air instead of tackles at times. Once SU
got down to business, though, it didn’t take long for them to get back on the
scoreboard. Off a scrum near midfield, Wade called an inside switch to
Nelson, who waltzed through the gap and cha-cha’d all the way to the posts.
Wade nailed the conversion, and the score ran to 27-5 in favor of the Orange and Maroon.
Muhlenberg simply would not go away, and put SU right back on the defensive
soon after the ensuing kickoff. Rucking and running to the SU 5 meter line,
the Mules were awarded a penalty kick after an SU infraction, and took
advantage of SU’s flat-footed defense to maul their way into the try zone for
the score. The conversion kick missed the mark, but things began to look
interesting with a score of 27-12 with lots of time remaining. The SUWRFC
stepped up, yet again, and would not allow any more scoring by their
opponents. Again, it was the forwards who took control, and set the tone. The
power of the SU pack proved too much for Muhlenberg, and the scrums had to go
uncontested from about half way through the second half. The power and
support of the pack, though, had blown the game open. Effective running by
the SU loose forwards, Nicole Arnold, Tara Reed, and Luneberg, made it a long
day for the Mule defensive line, and it was Luneberg who closed out all
scoring with a run that left the defense and spectators with jaws agape.
Running around the weak side, she appeared dead-to-rights when two Mule
defenders converged. With one move, she faked both into colliding with each other,
leaving her with mud and grass in front of her as she outraced her pursuers
to the try line. Steiner’s conversion kicked failed, but the last nail was in
the coffin, and the half played out to the final score of 32-12. The SUWRFC
Killer B’s took to the pitch with giddy anticipation by the rookies, and the
veterans brimming with confidence. The forwards made it an all-SU match, with
scores by #8 Amy Smith, Lock Meg McGee, and Hooker Kim Brunner, who used her
face to control the ball as she placed it in the try zone. All three of
McGee’s kicks missed the mark, but the Killer B’s had the win 15-0. Although
the forwards did all the scoring, the backs put together a solid match, with
good tackling and passing. The rookies all did a super job and looked like
they were having fun in their first action as full-on rugby players.
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10/28/03
SUWRFC Too Long-Winded for Diplomats; Regular Season Finished at 4 - 0 18,000
seconds. 300 minutes. Five hours. That's how long the opponents of the
Susquehanna University Women's RFC have been waiting to make it into the try
zone after four matches this season. They're still waiting. Add 60 more
minutes of stinginess attributed to the SUWRFC "Killer B's", and
that's 6 hours of uninterrupted dominance displayed by the Orange and Maroon this season. Not only did
the SUWRFC finish with a regular season record of 4 wins and no losses, all
four victories came by way of shutout. In order to complete such a stellar
season, however, the club had to travel to Lancaster on Saturday, and take on a hungry
Franklin and Marshal College WRFC. Coming off a tough loss to the Gettysburg
College WRFC, F&M came out hard and fast against an SU side that looked a
little rusty after a two-week layoff between matches. SU kicked off to open
the match, immediately producing a knock-forward by F&M, and giving the
scrum to SU. The SU forwards got to work right away, and won clean ball for,
Scrumhalf, Jess Markle and the rest of the backline. F&M's defense bent,
but did not break as SU tried to break into the try zone. For every SU run at
goal, there seemed to be a knock-on, or other small infraction that allowed
F&M to escape danger throughout the first half. The home side came right
back at the Orange and Maroon with hard running from their Number 8, and good
rucking from the forwards. The F&M offense pressured the SU backs and
forced them to chase down more than a few scoring chances. SU fullback,
Lindsay Thomas, saw more defensive action in the first half than she had
nearly all season, but was equal to the task, as was the entire SU backline.
The SU forwards continued their usual domination in the scrums, but lineouts
continued to be the monkey on their backs. SU had a few scoring chances in
the first half, but could not capitalize. F&M, too, had chances, but
solid team defense by SU, kept them off the board. The first half ended in a
tense 0 - 0 tie, with SU losing Outside
Center, Jess Daly, to
injury. The second half opened with SU returning the F&M kickoff and
going to work right away. The match remained a see-saw battle between the 22
meter lines until SU's fitness began to wear down their hosts and present the
visitors with more and more running room. The forwards quickly began to
assert themselves, and SU was soon on the march toward the F&M goal line.
Megan Lucas, subbing for the injured Daly, made good tackles and nice
supporting runs for Inside
Center, Erica Nelson,
as well as Winger, Erica Tarr. A penalty on F&M allowed Wade to make a
quick-tap near the F&M 22 and race towards the goal. Good support by the
forwards got the ball into Nelson's hands, and she touched down to the left
of the posts for the first score of the match. Wade, calmly, slotted the
conversion, and SU was on the board 7 - 0, with plenty of time to spare.
F&M kicked, but the fielding problems SU had versus Gettysburg never materialized, and SU
jammed the ball right back down the throat of the defense. F&M still
would not allow themselves to be overwhelmed, and thwarted more SU scoring
chances until Erica Nelson took a pass from Wade, and broke tackle after
tackle, and showed the F&M Fullback the wheels to score beneath the
posts. Wade made the easy conversion, and SU had opened up a little breathing
room, 14 - 0. SU began to used its subs to further run F&M ragged, and it
began to pay off soon after as SU was knocking on the door again. Punishing
runs by the forwards, including Lock, Melissa Johnson, produced a penalty on
the 5 meter line that gave SU the ball and a chance to punch in the
backbreaker. Wade tapped, and passed to Lock, Becky Steiner, freshly subbed
for starter Alaina Auchenbach, who did just that when she flat out crushed an
F&M defender on the try line and touched down for SU's final score of the
match. Wade missed the conversion, but the 19 - 0 lead might as well have
been 100 - 0. SU turned up the heat in the tackles not allowing any long runs
and few that broke the gain line. The SU forwards shoved the F&M pack
around at will, forcing referee, Doug Syme, to call uncontested scrums with
nearly 15 minutes to go in the contest. Susquehanna ran the match out to a
final score of 19 - 0, and kept the Diplomats from filibustering against
their perfect regular season. The win marked the club's first undefeated
regular season, and cemented a first seed in the EPRU Division 3 Women's
Collegiate Playoffs, where SU will take on the Ursinus College WRFC on
Saturday, November 1, at 10am. The winner will face the winner of the
Gettysburg WRFC/Drexel WRFC match in the finals on Sunday, November 2, at
3pm. The teams that go on to the finals will have a chance to go to the 2nd
annual East Coast Division 3 Women's Collegiate Championships this Spring,
and play the top two teams from the Northeast Rugby Union.
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10/6/2003
SUWRFC Continues to Pitch Shut-outs with 3-0 Record The Susquehanna
University Women's Rugby Football Club traveled to Gettysburg College
on Saturday for a match with major playoff implications for both clubs, and
came away with a hard fought 17-0 win. Fresh off a 39-17 win versus Drexel
University WRFC, Gettysburg
was looking to knock off their visitors from the north, and came out with
guns blazing. SU kicked deep and put the pressure on their hosts immediately,
forcing a few panic passes and knocks forward. Gettysburg was able to keep SU from scoring
right away, however, by tying up SU ball in the mauls, and would frustrate
SU's runners all day in doing so. Winger Sarah Richards almost got SU on the
board at about 2 minutes into the match with a long run to the try zone. Gettysburg's speed
showed as they chased Richards down and forced a knock-on into the try zone
as she tried to place the ball. The SU pack got down to business right away,
though, producing good ball for Scrumhalf, Jess Markle. A few 5 meter scrums
and a quick rip saw Markle bursting toward the try zone. Stingy defense
helped Gettysburg
hold the line, but Markle was able to get her foot on a loose ball and nudge
it into the try zone where she attempted to fall on it. Gettysburg's attempt to keep Markle off the
ball resulted in a penalty try to SU, and Flyhalf, Emily Wade slotted the
conversion from right under the posts. The game remained a see-saw battle for
most of the half, as SU was able to move the ball, but had no end of trouble
getting the ball out of mauls. Gettysburg
counterpunched , but the SU defense rarely allowed a long run from Gettysburg's speedy
Flyhalf, Fullback, and Wings. When they did get some running room, SU was
able to counter with speed of their own and good, low, tackling. The Orange and Maroon had
to deal with a number of high tackles that went curiously uncalled, because
there was "no intent" involved, or they might have broken the match
wide open. As it was, though, it took SU most of the remaining minutes of the
first half to score again, as Emily Wade found her way into the try zone for
five points. Her conversion kicked missed its mark, and the half ended 12-0
in favor of the SUWRFC. The second half opened with Gettysburg kicking deep
and the SU forwards watching the ball roll nearly into the try zone before
picking it up and running face-first into the Gettysburg defense. The flat
play trend continued for SU, as Gettysburg
was able to put together some momentum and pressure the SU try line. Bending
without breaking, SU slowly began to break out of their own end and began
rucking Gettysburg
off the ball as they had done prior to Wade's first half try. Still, Gettysburg would not
allow a breakaway run by either Inside Center Erica Nelson or Outside Center
Jessica Daly. Both enjoyed good running on the day, but just could not find
their way clear to the try zone. All of the SU backs continued to tackle well
in the loose, and the forwards continued to scrum with fury in an attempt to
open the half's scoring, but to little avail. Near the halfway point of the
half, however, SU was able to take advantage of an offsides call on a Gettysburg kick, and
Wade took the ball through the mark and bulled through the defense that was
not back the required 10 meters. Wade set the mark again, closer to the try
zone, and let the forwards ruck hard near the line. Another offsides call at
the ruck gave Wade the opportunity she needed and she submarined the Gettysburg defense on
the try line for her second try of the match. The kick again missed its mark,
but SU had opened up a 17-0 lead. With time running down, Gettysburg began to counterattack on the
ensuing kickoff. Again, the SU forwards allowed the ball to hit the ground
and roll deep into their own end. Hard tackling, good scrummaging, and
devastating rucking allowed SU to weather the storm. The final whistle blew
with Gettysburg
knocking on the door with SU refusing to let them in. Final score Susquehanna
University WRFC 17 - Gettysburg College WRFC 0. The SU Killer B's took the
field against a mixed A and B-side for Gettysburg.
The hosts gave the Biller B's all they could handle in a 0-0 tie after 30
minutes. The Killer B's made good runs, and rucked hard, just like their
A-side teammates, but were unable to punch a try in against the experienced Gettysburg side. Just
as in the A-side match, the Gettysburg backs
could not put together long runs or use their speed, as the Orange and Maroon tackled hard and low, and
then rucked for possession. Unfortunately, Gettysburg was also able to tie up SU ball
in mauls, preventing any long runs by SU. The SU Killer B's were knocking on
the door, though, as time expired. Unable to post a win, they remain unbeaten
with one win and one tie on the season.
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10/1/03
Women's Rugby Posts 2nd Straight Shutout Versus Lebanon Valley College WRFC The
Susquehanna University Women's Rugby Football Club ran its Fall 2003 record
to 2-0 with their second straight shutout of the young season, after
dominating a depleted Lebanon Valley College side on Saturday at the SU rugby
pitch. Over the last two seasons, SUWRFC versus LVCWRFC has been the most
entertaining match for both clubs, but the visitors from Annville could only
field twelve players, making a 5-0 forfeit the official score. LVC showed why
they are one of the classiest collegiate women's teams in the Eastern Penn
Rugby Union's 3rd Division, by playing the full 80-minute match anyway, with
the help of some SU players. SU scored early and often, taking advantage of
LVC's young backline, and coming away with an "unofficial" 73-0
victory after 80 minutes, the most points the SU women have ever scored in
any match in their history. The SU backs dominated play in the loose, and the
SU forward pack put in another smothering performance, providing quick,
clean, ball from scrums and rucks. The SU forwards put their stamp on the
match early, with Hooker, Becca Fish's first ever try at just under three
minutes into the match. Flyhalf, Emily Wade, made the first of her eight
conversions on the day, and SU was off to the races. Rookie Winger, Sarah
Richards got the backs going with a try just a minute and a half later.
Richards' efforts in the first half paid off big with three tries in the
half. Inside Center, Jess Daly, got on the board soon after with Winger,
Erica Tarr, and Fullback, Lindsay Thomas, scoring tries in the first half, as
well. Wade slotted six of seven conversion attempts as SU went into halftime
with a 47-0 lead. After liberal substitutions during halftime, SU was soon
adding to the scoreboard, as Monica Hempton touched down for her second five
points of the season, to help give the home side a 54-0 lead after Wade's
conversion kick found its mark. The forwards continued their solid play,
rucking and mauling SU into LVC territory, while LVC continued to play hard
rugby. It was then that Lindsay Thomas broke off one of the nicest runs seen
on SU's rugby pitch in quite some time as she carried the ball into the LVC
line near the half field mark. Carrying would-be tacklers until they fell
off, she then turned on the jets and outran her pursuers, and supporters, the
final 40 meters to score under the posts. Wade drilled the easy conversion
and the score ran to 61-0 in favor of the host club. SU was far from done,
however, as Lock, Becky Steiner, scored her second try in as many matches to
get the forwards into the books in the second half, and even made her own
conversion, making the score 68-0. Rookie Lock, Becky Miller, found the try
zone, finishing off the scoring, with her second try of the season. Kerin
Luneberg's conversion kick hit the crossbar and bounced out, and the match
ran to no-side with the Orange
and Maroon coasting home to an "unofficial" 73 - 0 win. With LVC
traveling with only twelve players, the SUWRFC Killer B's got to ply their
trade for nearly the entire second half of the match, gaining valuable
experience that will carry the club to successes beyond the 2003-2004
seasons. Constance Helsel, Gretchen Templeton, Erin Auci, Amanda Colton, Jess
DiSimone, Terri Myshin, Melissa Baker, Megan Lucas, and Melissa Johnson all
played for LVC on the day, and helped their guests with good play.
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4/26/03
SUWRFC Beats Bucknell, Improves on Fall Record Selinsgrove, PA - The
Susquehanna University Women's Rugby Football Club closed out its Spring 2003
season by defeating the Bucknell University WRFC for the first time ever on a
rain-soaked Saturday by a score of 14 - 10. In the process they bested their
Fall 2002 season record of 4 wins and 2 losses, with a final tally of 5 wins,
1 loss, and 1 tie. Susquehanna came out hard off the opening kickoff. Flyhalf
and Captain, Emily Wade, sent the ball deep into BU territory, putting SU on
the doorstep within the first minute of the match. Unable to produce from a
maul from a few meters out, SU gave up possession at the ensuing scrum and BU
kicked out of trouble. Bucknell's kicking would stymie SU's early scoring
chances, and soon paid off when a deep kick allowed Bucknell to produce some
quick ball and run it in for the first score of the match. The conversion
missed its mark, but Bucknell struck first and was up 5 - 0 early in the
match. Susquehanna came back and began to move the ball well against the
Bucknell defense, but poor passing, combined with lackluster rucking kept SU
from fully dictating the terms of the match to Bucknell. Perhaps playing a little
too confident in light of recent successes, the SU backline allowed Bucknell
to slip through for a few open-field runs. Susquehanna was able to chase each
one down, but found itself smack dab in the middle of hard match that had the
two sides trading runs like prizefighters trading blows. Susquehanna got it
together, however, and began to counterattack Bucknell's kicking with knifing
runs from Fullback, Lindsay Thomas. Over and over, Thomas ran the ball deep
into BU's half of the pitch to keep her side moving in the right direction.
Thomas' persistence allowed SU to finally get the ball into Inside Center,
Erica Nelson's hands, and she was able to burst across the Bucknell tryline
to knot the score at five-all. Wade calmly lined up the conversion and knocked
it home. Susquehanna had the lead 7 - 5, and moved in for a second score that
appeared to be touched down in the corner by Wade. The try was disallowed by
Referee, Steve Foster, though, and the half played out with both clubs
trading runs between each other's 22s with neither club able to break free
for more points. The second half began with Susquehanna giving away
possession by knocking on at the opening kick. Bucknell took advantage and
began to head towards SU's goal. Fierce tackling by SU allowed it to weather
the initial storm by causing knocks-forward at the tackles resulting in
scrums that were increasingly won by the awakening SU pack. Bucknell was able
to regroup time and again to drive the ball back into SU's half. Untimely
porous defense and saccharine rucking by Susquehanna gave Bucknell a few
chances, but just as it looked like they might capitalize, SU stepped up to
the challenge. Susquehanna got back on track and began to move the ball.
Thomas continued to dutifully chase down each kick that came her way, and ran
straight back through the teeth of the Bucknell defense. Her work would again
pay off with a penalty against Bucknell at a ruck. Melissa Johnson took the
tap and stormed toward the Bucknell goal, only to be stopped just short of the
line. Good support running by the SU forwards got the ball out of the maul
and moved it wide, where it came to rest in the hands of Nelson. Not to be
denied her second try of the match and the score that would turn out to be
the match-winner, Nelson hit paydirt near the right side of the posts. Wade
easily slotted the conversion, and SU took the lead 14 - 5, with plenty of
time left. Bucknell would simply not go away, and came roaring back. Using
quick ball from rucks, BU was back on SU's doorstep. Susquehanna made a
courageous, but unsuccessful try-line stand. In the process, SU lost Number
8, Sarah McMahon when her nose collided with Winger Brandi Swietkoski's chin,
bloodying both and continuing SU's pattern of teammates bloodying teammates
when they play Bucknell. [Rookies Jenn Leete and Liz Balduino each required
stitches in the Fall.] The conversion again missed the posts, but the damage
was done and Bucknell had clawed to within 4 points with plenty of time to
get more. Susquehanna immediately went back to work, getting a jump start
from the fresh legs of Nicole Arnold (for McMahon), Kim Brunner (on for
Hooker Becca Fish at the half), Melissa Johnson (for Lock Bonnie Loveland),
Corrine Switaj (for Winger Erica Tarr) and Caitlyn Robotti, who came on for
Flanker Tara Reed. Brunner moved to Flanker to replace Reed, and Robotti
finished the match at Hooker. With plenty of time left in the match, SU was
still not quite able to get effective multi-phase rugby. Bucknell's kicking
combined with more diet rucking kept SU from putting the game away, but SU's
tackling tightened up, and the Maroon and Orange would not let the victory
slip from grasp. Bucknell tried to mount counterattacks, but SU was playing
with purpose when it needed to most, and was knocking on the door when the
match ran out of time. The Susquehanna University WRFC Killer B's took the
pitch in an attempt to close out an undefeated Spring season. They met a
buzzsaw that was Bucknell's B-side. Having to use a number of A-side players
due to previous injuries and others who did not make the trip, Bucknell came
out quickly and was just a little too much for SU. Bucknell scored a try in
each half, but missed both conversions for a 10 - 0 victory. The SU Killer
B's had to settle for a very respectable record of 2 wins and 1 loss for the
season. The SUWRFC also said good-bye to four seniors on Saturday. Brandi
Swietkoski, Bonnie Loveland, Kristin Bolduc, and Abby Willard all saw their
last action for the Maroon and Orange. Swietkoski and Loveland saw the club
go from almost worst, to almost first in their last 2 years with the club.
Bolduc and Willard, while they may have come to SU rugby late, were still
terrific additions that helped build the club. All four seniors have been so
valuable to the SUWRFC over these last couple of years, and everybody on the
club will miss them at games, practice, and everywhere else. Good luck to all
of you!
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4/14/03
SU's Tenacious 20 Goes 1-1-1 at WCU Tourney West Chester, PA - The
Susquehanna Women's RFC sent twenty players to the 2003 West Chester
University WRFC Women's Collegiate Classic for the third consecutive year and
came away with their best results yet, finishing with a record of 1 win, 1
loss, and 1 tie. A week's worth of rain in southeastern PA forced tournament
play to start at noon, rather than 9am, forcing tournament organizers to
shorten all Saturday matches to 30 minutes in length rather than the usual
40-minute contests. This meant that SU had to get to work early against
Lafayette College if they were to have any chance of getting out of their
bracket pool, which also included D-2 national qualifier Southern Connecticut
State and the US Naval Academy's B-side. From the start of the match,
Lafayette gave SU trouble in the scrums, and was able to win a number of SU
scrums. Lafayette also took the best runs that SU could throw at them, and
kept making good tackles. SU finally got it going as time began to run down
in the first half, and Scrumhalf, Sara Lampe touched down for her first try
of the weekend. Emily Wade missed the conversion wide, but SU went into the
one-minute halftime with momentum. The second half opened with SU on the move
again. The pack beginning to get its feet under them, SU's forwards began to
even things out in the scrum, and were there in support in open play, too.
Lock, Melissa Johnson took a tap penalty and bashed her way towards the goal,
then made a sweet pass to Inside Center, Erica Nelson, who punched it in for
SU's second score. Wade drilled the conversion and SU was on the march. SU
kept up the pressure and began to turn it on in the scrums and the backs
began to take more ground with their runs. Melissa Johnson bull-rushed the
Lafayette defense and made it to within a whisker of the tryline, only to be
denied again. Wade picked up the quick post and went over for the try. Again,
the conversion missed the mark, but the abbreviated match expired soon after
with SU winning 17-0. The second match of the day pitted SU against Southern
CT State University, a second division club that will be heading to the
University of Northern Iowa for D-2 nationals on April 19th and 20th. Playing
for a shot to win some tournament hardware on Sunday, both teams came out
hard, but SU tasted the sting of defeat for the first time since EPRU
playoffs in November. SU kicked off deep and put the pressure on right away.
An offsides call on a kick from SCSU resulted in a confusing lack of a
penalty being called. Still, SU had the lineout near the SCSU try zone, but
could not capitalize, and SU was soon being forced to defend an attack. Using
hard rucking, and some of the best scrummaging SU has seen all season, SCSU
moved down the field using both weak side runs and overloads on the strong
side to keep SU guessing. SU hung tough, however, and Lampe ripped a ball
from an SCSU maul and raced for the try zone. Barely beating her pursuers,
she touched down just to the right of the posts for her second try of the
day. Wade calmly slotted the conversion and SU was out in front with time
beginning to wind down in the first half. SCSU came right back though, and
would not be denied the score as they touched down in the right corner of the
try zone. The conversion fell short, however, and the half ended with SU up
by 2, 7-5. SCSU showed why they're going to nationals in the second half,
however, and scored twice to put the game away. SU made them earn every point
of their victory, though, and continued to try and put together attacks. SCSU
converted one of two tries in the second half, and came away with a hard-won
17-7 triumph. SU showed just how far they've come in the past 2 years, in not
being intimidated that they were playing a national contender. They just went
out and played rugby and came close against a good side. SU would three key
players after this match, however, which would limit their options somewhat
on Sunday. Winger, Erica Tarr, had to leave after the match. Winger/Utility
Back, Melissa Baker strained knee ligaments, and was out of commission.
Tight-head Prop, Amanda Colton gave everybody a scare after a severe asthma
attack after the match sent her to the hospital. While in the ER X-rays
showed good news and bad news. The good news being that her lungs were OK,
but the bad news was that she had also sustained a broken rib during the
match. Thankfully, she and Baker would make it back to the sidelines for
Sunday's match. Sunday morning saw SU take on…SU. Swarthmore University, that
is. Playing their second match against an upper-division foe on the weekend,
the orange and maroon planned to come out hard and fast against the other
SUWRFC. Scrummaging trouble struck again, however, and any advantages gained
by Swat knock-ons was lost to bad footing and being pushed backwards in the
early going. Swarthmore got momentum on the opening kickoff when the deep kick
was knocked forward on the catch, and Swarthmore was in business inside of
Susquehanna's 22 meter line. Winning the scrum and using quick, hard,
rucking, Swarthmore touched down to open the scoring. The conversion was true
and Susquehanna was down 7-0 early. Wade refused to let anybody hang their
heads, however, and the Sensational 17 (down from the Tenacious 20 after
losing Tarr, Baker, and Colton.) came roaring back. Susquehanna began to move
down the field, and Melissa Johnson took another crack at breaking the
tryline, taking a penalty tap and running over and through Swarthmore for
almost 30 meters…only to be stopped just short - again. As she seemed to be
all weekend long, Sarah Lampe was there to finish off the run and get the
five points. Wade missed the conversion, however, and the half ended with
Susquehanna trailing at the half for the first time all season, 7-5.
Susquehanna came out hard in the second half and tried to put the match away
early. Swarthmore held their ground however, and built some momentum of their
own. Back and forth it went, until Nelson exploded through a break in the
Swat defense and raced into the try zone and scored just to the side of the
posts. Wade knocked the conversion home and SU had the lead with time
beginning to run short. Swarthmore stormed right back, however, and began to
dig deep in scrums. Using weakside runs by their Number 8 and taking
advantage of offside penalties at rucks, they made steady ground on
Susquehanna. The Susquehanna pack began to tighten up, however, and the
weakside runs were brought to the deck by Number 8, Sarah McMahon and by
Winger Corrine Switaj. Their solid tackling allowed SU to focus on keeping
Swarthmore's backs from breaking free on the strong side. With Susquehanna
needing only to make the ball dead, Swarthmore drove a maul to within ten
meters and Susquehanna was able to hold it up. Swarthmore managed to produce
just as it looked like Referee, Scott Stratton would blow it up. SU was
unable to make the final tackle and Swarthmore touched down in the corner for
the equalizer. The conversion kick fell short, and the very entertaining
match ended 12-12. Overall, the SUWRFC showed tremendous ability, and
impressed all who saw their matches on the weekend. Former players Ashley
Sprague and Rosa Michetti were pleased to see how good the club looked.
Former SU Men's RFC players Brian Hackman and Brian Anderson (one of the
original SUWRFC coaches) were very impressed with the result against SCSU,
and both remarked that the club has tremendous rugby players all the way
'round. The club showed just how tough it could be, however, on Sunday versus
Swarthmore. Lock, Amy Smith was so bent up and sore that she had to be
inserted into the backline for the remainder of the first half, forcing
Flanker Nicole Arnold to Lock for the rest of the match, and also forcing
team captain and Flyhalf, Wade to play Flanker. Then, the only remaining
Johnson went down with a dislocated finger and Flanker Becca Fish (normally
playing at Hooker) volunteered to Lock. On the same play, Wade took an elbow
to the face and looked as if she might have to come out. As the Orange and
Maroon were about to pack down with all of the changes made (to make it 15 vs
14 in favor of Swarthmore), Johnson came jogging back onto the field and
finished the match! All of this, combined with the courageous red-zone
defense at the end of the match showed just how deep the club was willing to
dig to try and win the match. A 1-1-1 record is the best the club has done in
three trips to WCU.
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