Photos courtesy Monmouth Women’s Rugby
Despite best intentions, the Empire Geographic Union (GU) women’s club competition struggled this year. Seven teams were arranged into the DI/DII hybrid schedule, but three teams recorded forfeits this fall, and playoff-minded teams suffered. Fortunately, the Atlantic North Competitive Region (CR) semifinals against the New England GU won’t occur until late April, so there is time to build.
RELATED: Empire DI/DII Fall Schedule & Standings • Empire Playoff Results • Women’s Rugby Results: Nov. 17-19
Remember that Empire’s hybrid format allows the GU to send four teams to the Atlantic North semifinals. The top-two teams – Monmouth and Village Lions – head to Division I playoffs, and third- and fourth-place teams, Danbury and Brooklyn, advance to the CR’s Division II semifinals. Danbury was 0-6 in the regular season before defeating Brooklyn 41-24 for third in Empire.
“The Empire GU did the best it could to try and stabilize the DI and DII women’s league this year. It just didn’t work out,” Monmouth coach Rob Morello noted. “As a club and a GU, we are going to have to have some tough conversations about whether we can continue under the current structure, or if teams like Monmouth will have to explore other options.”
Options include going independent, which would require an at-large bid to the playoffs, or joining a different league. The closest competitions are New England (NERFU) and the Mid-Atlantic, both of which would be logistically and financially challenging.
In the meantime, Monmouth will focus on the CR playoffs ahead. The team enters the winter break as the Empire GU champion, having defeated the Village Lions 22-10 for the repeat DI title. The duo served as each other’s best, most reliable competition this fall.
“The feel of the match was definitely similar in terms of intensity: Both teams desperately wanted to win the game,” Morello compared the GU final to Monmouth’s regular-season win over the New York City team. “The Lions changed it up this time around: We are accustomed to seeing them playing a wide game that looks to break off big runs. This time around, they leaned heavily on their forwards to try and attack us on the fringes.”
Monmouth had used the week in advance of the final to reinforce defense – tackling, alignment and recycling.
“Our ladies applied what we worked on really well and capitalized on turnovers with some fast, transitional offense,” Morello explained. “Once again, I believe our sustained pressure on both sides of the ball won the day. Our tries were scored in minutes 36, 45, 50 and 75.”
Wing Kala Maxwell scored the first and final tries, while scrumhalf Kelly Rafferty and outside center Cheyanne Lawrence also dotted down. The Village Lions sent flanker Chantal McCalla and fullback Ais Smith in for tries.
“Monmouth had better continuity between backs and forwards, and better flow when they had possession,” Village Lions veteran prop Sari Warren explained. “But it was their set piece – especially scrummage – and the ability to take the ball at pace to break the gain line that were influential factors.”
It was a solid finish for a team that has had to constantly adjust this fall. After losing four backline starters during the first two games, Monmouth dove into its squad and unearthed a depth of potential in its roster.
“Our new 10-12-13 combo of Amanda Rumsey, Kat Hussey and Cheyanne Lawrence came together to form something pretty special this season and by the last few games were downright fun to watch,” Morello praised.
Kathleen Kerwin moved to fullback after an injury and fulfilled that role as well as anyone in the league. Meagan Donovan also used the opportunity for more playing time in the second row to become a full 80-minute contributor. Monmouth’s best ballcarrier, Taryn Sievers, had also succumbed to injury, and Nikki Zuck stepped up her presence for a stellar championship game at flanker.
“And this team is really nothing without the stability of our amazing and experienced pack players,” Morello continued. “We had Liz Hussey come back from baby leave and play as high-level as she ever has. Tara Murray came out of retirement to turn in several 80-minute performances at lock, and our front row – Jenny Jones, Alex Rumsey, Beth Kaltenbach, Felicia Vargas, Teresa Alvarez – was the most solid and durable element of the entire squad this season. I’m thankful for the captain, [flanker] Diana Valencia, and the veteran players for helping keep the ship on course.”
The course will become rougher, a fact that Monmouth learned last weekend during two sobering losses to DI Mid-Atlantic’s NOVA (79-0) and Raleigh (84-0) in the first round of the Gold Cup. Now that Monmouth understands the level of the competition that lies outside of Empire, the New Jersey team can set up a challenging spring to ready for the post-season.
#Monmouth