Womenıs Rugby Opens Season With Solid Play At Beantown Tournament
By by STEVE VLADECK, Staff Writer
The women¹s rugby team opened their 2000-2001 season on a positive note last weekend, turning in a solid finish at the annual Beantown Tournament at the University of Massachusetts, including a hard-fought 12-7 loss to Yale University and an impressive 12-5 win over Cornell University. ³It was a good start,² said backs Captain Nell Thompson ¹01. ³Both the pack and the backline were new to playing with each other, but we came together pretty smoothly overall. We¹re looking forward to an excellent season.²

Despite a nailbiting loss to Yale in Saturday¹s first game, there were more positives than negatives. ³It was our first time playing together this season,² said Club President Lily Edwards ¹02. ³We hadn¹t even scrimmaged yet, and we still came out very solid against a tough Yale team.² Elizabeth Hawkins ¹03 scored the lone try for the Jeffs, who held national powerhouse Yale to only two tries of their own, resulting in the 12-7 final.

The Jeffs continued their solid play in the nightcap against Cornell, posting a pair of tries, including a stellar run off a lineout play by Marina Reti ¹01. Diana Geseking ¹03 notched the other try for the Jeffs, who dominated at both ends of the Saturday afternoon affair.

The Jeffs returned to UMass on Sunday to battle Boston University, in a game that more closely resembled a trip to the hospital ward. After sustaining a number of injuries, the Jeffs were forced to forfeit, which gave some of Amherst¹s rookies a chance to play. ³We put some rookies in the game, including Rebecca Muse-Orlinoff ¹04 and Gina Scribner ¹04,² said Edwards. It was their first rugby experience, which often can be quite overwhelming, but they took a deep breath and played really well.²

³I think this was a great opening to the season,² Edwards said. ³Beantown is a tough tournament, with so many games in one weekend, but we were able to see what we need to work on during the upcoming weeks.² The Jeffs will have a chance to improve upon their Beantown performance on Saturday, when they play their first home game of the season against Radcliffe College, traditionally one of the top rugby teams in New England. It should be a good test for the young Jeffs, who will have another shot at Yale the following weekend, also on Memorial Field.

After the Yale match, the Jeffs will travel across town to battle UMass, before returning home for the final three matches of the fall season, hosting Dartmouth College, Smith College and their season finale against Williams College.

Issue 03, Submitted 2000-09-19 19:57:13