Michelotti scored five tries against Boise State. /// Photo courtesy Montana State Women’s Rugby •
Reigning Rocky Mountain champion Montana State opened the 15s season today with a 77-0 win over Boise State. Women’s Collegiate All-American Maria Michelotti and wing/conversion kicker Steph Taylor combined for 52 points.
Montana State had some questions to answer in its season-opener. In the program’s second year in the DII conference, the Bozeman-based team is rooted in its experienced backs. Guided by halfbacks Courtney Kawamoto and Dallas Flager, backs Michelotti (5), wing Taylor (3), Emily Dennis (2) and Racine Oury (2) all scored tries Saturday. The forwards returned only three starters from 2015-16, and with only a week of practice preceding today’s game, coach Ed McKenna wasn’t sure how the pack would perform.
“We’re really rebuilding the forward pack this year. There are a lot of unknowns there,” McKenna said during the return trip to Montana. “We’ve had a strong turnout to practices – over 40 women – so we have a lot to choose from, which is good, but I was still curious how today was going to go.”
Although Boise State boasted athletes with high school-rugby experience, the developing program was light on numbers. As Montana State’s backs dictated the pace of the game, a handful of forwards put their hands up for future consideration.
“Boise was tough and athletic. They weren’t making arm-tackles and letting us run through them. We had to work for everything,” McKenna said.
“Freshman Gabby Lykens was lights-out,” McKenna said of the Bitterroot native who played flanker Saturday. “I did not know that was going to happen. And Alexi Bidegaray – you can tell when someone gets in there and they’re aggressive, making tackles and running strong. We can work with that.”
Mara Maus scored the forwards’ try. Taylor also added six conversions and showed her range with sideline conversions.
There are two pools in the Rocky Mountain conference. Montana State is grouped with Idaho State, Utah State and Boise State, and will play each team twice before the pool sends its top-two teams to the conference semifinals on Oct. 29. They will face the top finishers in the other pool, which is composed of Colorado Mines, Univ. Colorado Colorado Springs, Mesa State, Northern Colorado and Wyoming. The conference finalists – should Rocky Mountain receive two automatic berths – will move onto the national fall Round of 32.
“We’re not an unknown anymore, and I imagine all teams will be gunning for us,” McKenna reflected on his team’s conference title. “It’s better to be at the top and fighting people off, than fighting to get to the top. The players aren’t complacent. They’re humble and know they have to keep working hard. And if we’re lucky enough to get to conference playoffs, we know what’s waiting on the side.”
The Bobcats will be testing its 40 players against Missoula Betterside, a senior women’s club, next weekend before returning to league play against Utah State.
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