Photo courtesy Monmouth Rugby Club
Akin to its Atlantic North counterpart (New England), Empire will name its DI and DII club champions in the fall. It’s a scheduling adjustment from last season, when league games were contested on either side of the New Year, and eradicates uncertainty when attempting to build a spring schedule. At the end of October, four Empire teams will know that they are committed to at least one playoff game in 2018 (Atlantic North semifinals on April 28) and can plan from there.
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Empire expanded from five to seven teams this season, promoting New Haven from DIII and adding DI New York (which is opting out of playoffs) to the hybrid league. Monmouth, Morris and the Village Lions are the top teams, and the trio play each other on consecutive weekends this month. Last Saturday, reigning DI Empire champion and Atlantic North runner-up Monmouth traveled to the Village Lions for a 29-12 win.
“We can’t say too much about the things we saw Saturday because we may very well see the Lions again in the Empire championship match,” Monmouth coach Rob Morello noted. “But the ladies really did a really nice job of maintaining our shape on both sides of the ball. We were able to apply pressure, which provided us with some additional opportunities to make things happen offensively.”
Monmouth established a 10-point lead in the first half, as inside center Kathryn Hussey and injury sub Pamela Olsen scored. The Lions sent Sam O’Brien into the try zone after the break (10-7), but then tries from Olsen, prop Jennifer Jones and outside center Rebecca Musumeci built a sustainable lead. Kelly Rafferty added two conversions, while the Lions got a second try from Molly Manning, 29-12.
The victory was particularly satisfying, as Monmouth was working with only 17 players.
“We had some players being pressed into starting roles in new positions and forwards being asked to turn in 80 minutes,” Morello explained. “The ladies were primed enough for this test such that the pack seemed to get stronger as the match wore on. And when Kate Benedit, one of our best offensive weapons, went down 20 minutes in, it really tested our backs and they rose to the occasion. Four of our five tries were scored in the backs.”
Monmouth will face Morris this weekend in an all-New Jersey showdown, and then the Village Lions will play Morris on Oct. 21. The regular season ends Oct. 28, and then the top four teams will contest Empire semifinals on Nov. 4. The victors will funnel into a DI final, and the losers into a DII final, both of which will be held Nov. 11.
In 2018, Empire’s DI and DII champions will host New England’s runners-up (and vice versa) in the Atlantic North semifinals (April 28). The winners will contest the DI and DII Atlantic North championships on May 5, and then the USA Rugby national championships follow.
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