On the chilly fields of Sachem this past Saturday, the Dartmouth women's rugby club continued it winning ways when they sent Ivy rival Radcliffe home defeated and dejected.
Play began with a close game between the Killer B's of Dartmouth and Radcliffe's second side. Strong play by the Green back-line resulted in numerous tries, but Radcliffe reciprocated and won the game by a try.
The Green A-side began their game with the intent to dominant and, in the words of Coach Barb Bond, "play like blind dogs in a meat locker." The DWRC stifled the Radcliffe offense and produced offensive play after offensive play, yet failed to complete scoring opportunities.
A burst by inside center and Captain Nicole Carrier '94 finally penetrated the Radcliffe defense, and a quick pop pass to wing Mishauna Goeman '94 gave the first try of the game to the DWRC.
The Big Green went into the second half with a cheer of "intensity" and the intent of completing the offensive penetration that repeatedly brought them close to racking up tries. Passes down the back line brought the Green to the try zone, and a pass from wing Karen Staib '94 notched the score up to 10-0.
Radcliffe resisted the Big Green scoring pressure with their own try and conversion to come within three points of Dartmouth. Consistently strong play from flyhalf Keirsten Lawton '94 and successful line out catches by Zib Rybicki '96 brought the ball back to continue the Big Green's battery of Radcliffe's defense.
Scrummie Wendy Jastremski's '95 fierce play throughout the game in turn earned her a try as chance to see some of the stronger teams we expect to meet later on in the season and as an opportunity to continue to improve," Bond said.she attacked Radcliffe's successful line-out catch, stole the ball and crashed into the try zone. Lawton completed the conversion to bring the score to 17-7.
In the final seconds of the game, the DWRC showed Radcliffe the meaning of attacking rugby as the Green scrum hovered on the try zone, and Carrier, Goeman, and scrum half Jen Skoda '94 dove onto the ball in a true team effort, scoring a three-person try and closing the game at 22-7.
"Offensively, we were able to put Radcliffe under pressure using a combination of high kicks and aggressive running," Bond said.
The DWRC hopes to continue to build that pressure on other New England teams this weekend as they travel to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Mass. for the two-day Beantown Tournament, a competition for the Mayor's Cup.
"We have a lot to work on and we are looking forward to the Mayor's Cup tournament both as a chance to see some of the stronger teams we expect to meet later on in the season and as an opportunity to continue to improve," Bond said.
