Men's rugby stomps St. Michael's

Author: Eri Nosaka

On Sunday afternoon, the men's rugby team played against the only other undefeated team within the conference and, even with terrible weather conditions, managed to come out on top with a score of 12-0 against St. Mike's.

The Panthers had a rocky start and were unable to successfully maneuver the ball due to the rain and cold. In the past, this team has managed to jump to an enormous lead against its opponents, but St. Mike's was able to hold them at 7-0 at halftime. But towards the end of the latter part of the first half and throughout the second half, the team was able to gain better possession of the ball and were able to score again.

"The weather definitely had a huge impact on us," said Matt Volz '07. "We are a fast team and we like to be able to swing the ball wide and run with it. We had trouble doing that on Saturday because of the rain, but St. Mike's also played solid defense. They tackled well and played us hard for 80 minutes," said Volz. "It was cold and wet for both teams so we have to give St. Mike's credit for holding us to 12 points," he said.

Different from other rugby games this season, there were no dominant players on Sunday. However Caleb Constenstein '06 and Chaz Wirene '07 made impressive contributions. Wirene played throughout the first half but was unfortunately forced out of the game due to a sustained injury.

"All in all, it was not our best game, but we came out of it with a win and better perspective on where we are as a team and where we need to be," said Volz.

As the team retains its No. 1 ranking in the conference, the team will have yet another chance to prove its greatness when it plays Babson College this coming Saturday at home.

Similar to the men, due to the weather the women's team experienced some unexpected obstacles. Although the women's team lost with a score of 29-0 against Norwich, compared to the last game against Keene State, the women's team has made long strides of improvement.

At the beginning of the game, the women's team did not know what to expect and the Panthers quickly encountered Norwich's aggression and force. However, the Panthers were able to match that and were even more fierce. Notably the rookies were able to overcome their initial apprehension and played throughout the game with intensity and dedication.

Strong players for this game included Cristina Orlando '09, Cheryl McClurg '08 and Amelia Magistrali '09.

Although the first half was a little slow, by the second half the women were able to find their rhythm. Towards the end of the game, there was strong scrumming and the back lines showed visible improvement and were able to take a stand against Norwich's attack.

"We need to work on our defense and get used to the game a little more. However, overall we're getting better which is good to see. The team is working well together and everyone gets along, which you can really see. As a result things are flowing really well. With this game especially you can definitely see our improvement, " said Camille Padilla '07.

This Saturday the women's team will play Plymouth State at Middlebury. Plymouth will prove to be their toughest opponent due to their depth and strength as a team.