WCU Women’s Rugby A-side played four games at Frostbite 7s, only falling in the championship game to American International College (AIC).
The Purple Team was listed at WCU #1 on the schedule and was the A-side. WCU put two teams into the tournament. The second team was the Gold Team and was listed WCU #2 on the schedule.
Senior Erica Arnold was named Purple Team MVP after starting all four games and scoring three trys.
This first tournament was a chance for new and old players to get acclimated to rugby 7s after playing rugby 15s in the fall.
“It usually takes a few weeks for players to make the mindset shift between 7s and 15s,” head coach Tony DeRemer said. “The team did a great job of transitioning throughout the day.
The first match was against Marywood University (MU). The Purple Rams won with a score of 26–5.
Five different players scored for the Rams. Junior Katie LaCosta and Arnold scored one try each. Junior Emily Almoney scored two trys, and Sophomore Elly Gorham kicked three conversions for six points.
Captain Faith Morley had two poaches in the game. LaCosta had one poach on the game.
The second match was against Binghamton University’s first team (BU1). The Purple Rams came out with a close 15–10 win. Captain Heather Spangler, freshman Bridget Kowalski and Morley each scored a try.
Spangler had one poach alongside her try. Freshman Candyce Fourgere led the team in tackles in her first game.
“She was just really good for being thrown in [on A-side],” freshman Sophia Hoyer said.
The third match of the day was against the University of Delaware (UD). The final score was 41–0 WCU. The Purple Rams scored seven trys. Junior Mariella Paul, LaCosta, Almoney and Fougere each scored a try.
Senior Vanesa Hasanhodzic scored one try and kicked three successful conversions for 11 points in the game. Arnold scored two trys for 10 points. Alimony led the team in tackles. Senior Anne Kelekolio had two poaches that each led to a try.
The final game was against AIC where the Purple Rams fell 21–0. Graduate student Christelle Alce and Gorham came very close to scoring.
Almoney and Arnold lead the team in points with 15 each. Hasanhodzic was third with 11 and LaCosta fourth with 10.
Almoney and Fourger led the team in tackles with Morley and Paul tied for third. Kelekolio and Morley tied for most poaches.
This tournament was the first for 11 different Rams. Many scored their first trys such as Fougere and Kowalski.
The Golden Rams will be back in action at home on April 1. The home tournament will take place on the South Campus Rugby Field next to Vonnie Gros Field.
Ty Hickey, media and culture major, minor in Chinese