West Chester University’s women’s rugby team is back to their normal, winning fashion. After a rough, low-scoring game against Delaware, West Chester came back these last two weeks and completely blew their competition away by a combined score of 87-10. These two games were huge for the Lady Rams, as they have a newfound confidence and a great shot at the number one seed in the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union tournament.
Over Fall break last weekend, West Chester played host to Maryland University. The Golden Rams barely escaped Maryland with a victory last season, skirting by the slimmest of margins, 12-10. The defense let up the same 10 points this season, but won in a much more commanding fashion, 34-10.
Sarah Glick, in her second year, led the team in scoring with three trys in the match. West Chester had fallen to No. 22 in the rankings, but made it clear that they are a force to be reckoned with this season.
Glick was unstoppable early in the game, as she scored two trys in the first 12 minutes of play. Those two unconverted trys along with a Terp unconverted try made the score 10-5. West Chester scored one more try before the half, courtesy of rookie Hannah Johnstone. A Laura Waltman conversion made the score going into the half 17-5.
West Chester matched their first half performance in the second with 17 more points and only one try let up. Glick added her third try of the game early in the half, converted by Waltman. The final two trys of the game came from Maureen Rae and Michelle Gerlach.
This game was huge for West Chester, especially going into the next weekend’s match against Princeton. West Chester has played Princeton the past three seasons in the EPRU championship game, always a close affair.
On a cold, wet, rainy Saturday morning in the barracks of West Chester, the Princeton Tigers entered the ring in a rematch of last season’s EPRU championship – the outcome was a completely one-sided blowout victory by the Golden Rams, 53-0.
“Princeton is an old rival, and it always feels good to beat a rival,” senior Sasha Stauffer said. “This win was important, it’s completely changed our drive and motivated us to keep our drive through the EPRU’s.”
Once again, Sarah Glick led the team with three trys in the game. Stauffer opened up the scoring for the Lady Rams in the contest as she scored a try eight minutes into the game. Anna McGlade converted the try to put West Chester up 7-0. Little did the Golden Rams know that score would be all they needed to seal the deal. The WCU squad was far from finished though.
After Stauffer’s score, Glick went back to work, once again scoring two trys in the first half. Cheryl Johnson added one more before the buzzer to allow West Chester to take a 24-0 lead into the half.
Michelle Gerlach opened up the half with her second try in two games to give the Lady Rams a 29-0 lead. Fifteen minutes later, Johnson pushed her second try of the game into the trizone to make it a 34 point lead.
West Chester then went on a seven minute scoring spree, as Glick, Mary Bocchino, and Megan Lamm all scored within seven minutes of each other. Lamm converted two of those trys. That would end West Chester’s scoring in the game to bring them to the final score of 53-0, stunning the visiting Princeton Tigers.
The game puts a new light and sense of motivation in the Golden Rams season.
“After our first try we didn’t let up, we just kept moving the ball,” Stauffer said. “We played as a team today.”
Stauffer said that this was a huge key to West Chester’s victory against Princeton. The Tigers are a very dangerous team, and West Chester really came out as a team to shut them down.
Saturday against Princeton was a big game for West Chester, but now next weekend brings with it probably the most important match up of the season, as West Chester hosts Shippensburg. Stauffer says this game is a must win for the Lady Rams.
“In order to be ranked first going into playoffs we need to beat Ship’. If we are first we get a better seed for the EPRU tournament.”
A higher seed will give West Chester an easier road to the championship game. They will most likely be facing Delaware again, who is responsible for West Chester’s only conference loss so far.
“We need to play as a team again and hit them hard and low, not only in the rucks, but in every tackle,” Stauffer said against next weekend’s game.
Shippensburg is a very physical team that has given West Chester problems in the past. The Lady Ram squad has come together very nicely so far this season, and needs to keep that strong bond alive in order to do well.
This is Shippensburg’s first year as a NCAA Division I team. Before, they were only a club team, so they were able to bring fifth year seniors back. They will be without that advantage this weekend, as they travel to West Chester’s south campus for an all-important EPRU match-up.
Ryan Frisco is a third-year student majoring in Communication studies. He can be reached at RF648257@wcupa.edu.