Before a large crowd of enthusiastic DRFC supporters, Dartmouth opened its white-league schedule Saturday with a 41-5 thrashing of Northeastern at Sachem Field. Dartmouth played its best game of the young season, rucking, scrumming and displaying continuity finally up to par with traditional DRFC standards.
Dartmouth scored first only minutes into the match. Off of a won line-out, the pack set a maul and the ball spun through back line hands. Center Michael Linchitz '02 on a crash powered his way into the try zone, and the kick was successful to make it 7-0, the only points Dartmouth would need.
"It was imperative to post those first points," Linchitz said. "A lot of people know me as a skateboard enthusiast, but foremost I am a student of rugby. You learn so much just by playing the game."
Though the Northeastern pack was much larger in size than the Dartmouth forwards, the DRFC scrum, through superior execution, plowed over their opponents once again. Several times the Dartmouth scrum pushed Northeastern to the point of collapse, marching over the ball to steal possession on defensive rucks. The forwards showed similar dominance in line-outs, as Northeastern struggled to keep the ball from the Dartmouth jumpers. Dartmouth rucked with determination, producing clean balls for quick phase play.
"I dont know how those guys do it, day in and day out," center/fullback Dan Brown said, "but [the forwards] are the heart of this team. We backs get the glory, but the battle is won in the trenches with those guys."
Dartmouth kept pressure on Northeastern for most of the first half, retaining possession within Northeastern's 22-m. Running hard off the fly and scrum -halves hips, the forwards penetrated into the try zone twice, only to be held up. Linchitz finally cashed in for the second Dartmouth try, stiff-arming a would-be tackler and running a hard 10 meters for the score. A missed conversion made it 12-0.
Through solid phase play, Dartmouth worked its way from the kick-off reception ahead to the Northeastern 22. A scrum here to Northeastern was disastrous, as Dartmouth pushed them violently off the put-in and poached the ball. Sent through hands, the ball once again found itself placed in the try zone, this time courtesy of a nice slashing run by center Mike Martinez '04 center. Winger Kyle Chambers '03 converted the kick to make it 19-0.
Once again, from the kickoff, Dartmouth worked its way back into Northeastern territory. Knocking hard on the door, Dartmouth's forwards pounded the Northeastern defense, stealing hard inches on the gain line with tough runs at the opponents' 5-m. Steadfast rucking and support frustrated the Northeastern defense. Finally, in a show of determination, tight-head prop Travis Escobedo '03 burst through the line and touched the ball for the try, making the score 24-0.
"[To score] was definitely really cool," Escobedo said. "When the fans were cheering for me, it made me realize why I play the game. It made me feel really sweet, like I did something cool."
Unfortunately, with Northeastern reeling and ready to fold only midway through the first half, Dartmouth lapsed and let them back into the game. Through a series of penalties, Northeastern found itself at the Dartmouth 10-m. Poor tackling and defensive alignment allowed a Northeastern forward to break through and score their lone try. Playing with a breath of new life, Northeastern fought Dartmouth tough for the remainder of the half, and the score stood at 24-5 at halftime.
Irritated at the loss of a shutout, Dartmouth sought revenge in the second half. Dartmouth took only minutes to score again, the dominant DRFC scrum setting up a clean ball at the Northeastern 22-m that, traveling through hands, ended up in the grasp of wing Andrew Lusk '03. Beating two defenders with exceptional speed, Lusk centered the ball in the try zone. A missed kick kept the score at 29-5.
Northeastern tacklers could not stop the strong running of center Ayo Kuyinu '03, who displayed several impressive breakaways.
"I have a really low center of gravity, so its tough to knock me down," Kuyinu said. "Successful running means staying low, and exploding, like a rocket ship."
In a final challenge, Northeastern tested the Dartmouth defense, kicking to touch at the Dartmouth 5-m. However, hard sticks by Escobedo and lock David Hodapp '04 pushed the attacking opponent back.
In a play that broke wide open both Northeastern's spirit and the game, Dartmouth, pinned at their own 5-m, off a penalty, sent the ball from fullback Dan Correa '05 to an accelerating Lusk on the wing. Lusk turned the corner and outraced all defenders 90 meters to seal the victory, making the score 34-5 late in the second half. Lusk would add his third try of the game as time expired, making the final tally 41-5.
Asked where he found the motivation for an impressive showing, Lusk said, "Well, my mom and dad came up from Texas to see the game. They told me if I had a good game, I could get pizza later. I'm usually not allowed to have that stuff."
Next Sunday marks the beginning of Dartmouth's true challenge: a stretch against rivals UConn (home), Harvard (away) and Army (away), teams with a combined record of 7-1-1. Dartmouth then ends the season at home with a match against Brown. The DRFC will be in action at Sachem again this Sunday with a 1 p.m. start against the University of Connecticut.
Ben Annino '03 plays prop and serves as Secretary of the Dartmouth Rugby Football Club.
