The University of Maryland – Baltimore County (UMBC) put in a massive performance against DII spring semifinalist Salisbury Saturday, defeating the reigning Capital champion 37-19. The win was driven by a massive effort from the forwards, and Canterbury Player of the Week Tahlia Tavai was at the epicenter.
The 5’11” senior captain scored three tries from No. 8 and also kicked a conversion in the league match.
“She had an outstanding game and led from the front. She’s a big part of the reason we were dominant in the forwards,” said UMBC coach and father Richard Tavai, who also heaped a bunch of praise on the team’s front row.
“She’s very versatile. She’s played flyhalf, is mobile, has a good step,” the coach continued. “But she’s also played lock when some people weren’t so keen on it. You need experience there, and she’s a great team player.”
Tavai’s work rate is inspirational around the pitch, and her leadership helped UMBC rally around a forward-centric game strategy that sought to avoid Salisbury’s dynamic backs. Co-captain and flyhalf Janet Lee and inside center Tonya Burge kept funneling play back toward the forwards, and a solid pick-and-go game proved the right attack against Salisbury. The goal, however, is to balance out the pitch and bring the backs up to the forwards’ level.
“At last,” coach Tavai recounted the team’s reaction when the final whistle blew. “Talia’s a senior and she had a lot of motivation going into this game. All of the senior girls wanted to beat Salisbury – we’ve beaten them in the past, but it was always their B teams.
“We didn’t have much of a talk after the game. I just wanted it to soak in with the girls,” the coach added. “We have a lot to work on, but the good thing is we don’t have gaping holes at the moment. Just small things and they understand that. Overall, they’re very happy, but we take the win with a grain of salt. We know Salisbury is rebuilding and there are other good teams out there – but it sounds like the competition is going to be more even this year.”
Regardless of the circumstances, UMBC is starting the season with a program highlight in a conference that has already seen some upsets this season against traditional powerhouses. The top-team shuffle brings stars like Tavai to the forefront and more programs into the spotlight.
CANTERBURY PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Every week, The Rugby Breakdown will highlight a club, college or high school player who put in a standout performance during the week. At the end of the month, readers will vote on the 4-5 profiled players to name a Player of the Month, and Canterbury North America will send the award recipient a prize. In December, a Player of the Fall will also be voted upon and honored.
Previous Honorees:
September 4: Dartmouth’s Becca Jane Rosko
September 12: Girls High School All American Julia Riekena
PlayeroftheWeek #UMBC #TahliaTavai