Buffalo State Rugby Pictures
The Upstate New York conference championship was set up as a replay of one of the best games of the regular season: Cortland vs. Buffalo State. In the Oct. 21 meeting, DII returner Cortland defeated Buffalo State 22-17, and the Nov. 4 rematch delivered on equal drama.
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“We were surprised how evenly matched we were in a lot of ways,” Buffalo State coach Jenn Jenkinson said of the regular-season match against Cortland. “Personally I think the girls, heading into the match, weren’t mentally prepared for it. They took that loss hard. It was the first of the season and they knew they could have played better.”
But like any good squad, the team got back to work, reviewing film and identifying areas of opportunity for the rematch. Jenkinson tapped into the collaborative Western New York and Buffalo State rugby communities to provide even more coaching expertise in the run-up to playoffs, and they aided a dedicated coaching staff that includes alumni Zack and Emily Edwards, Fredonia graduate Lisa Braun, and Jenkinson’s husband, Robert, who coaches the men’s team.
On the pitch, captains Carlee Cockrell at scrumhalf and Celine De La Cruz at flyhalf drove improvement. They’re two very experienced players who left their primary positions this year – Cockrell is a center, De La Cruz a fullback – and ended up working really nicely together. Cockrell in particular is a hinge.
The Banshees have good depth in the forwards, and front rows Alex Miller-Wampler and Savannah Smith – who also takes the conversions – are critical to the team’s success. They’ve been propping together for three years now.
Jenkinson also highlighted some new talent in players like Alexie Ziegler, who transferred from the Buffalo State track team a month ago. The fast athlete is doing well at outside center. Sarah Lobaugh has a couple of years behind here but fall 2017 is her first season on the A side. She’s exploded onto the scene at No. 8 and played her best game of the season in the championship match, poaching ball left and right.
Two weeks after their regular-season meeting, Buffalo State and Cortland were not only vying for a conference title but also a bye through the fall Round of 32. With the anxiety of playing a new team gone, the Banshees focused on specific goals and aimed to force wider passes to break up Cortland’s offloading game. Buffalo State applied a lot of pressure and pounced on any loose ball that didn’t make it to hands.
The strategy worked and the Banshees were able to establish and maintain a lead throughout the final. In slow, muddy conditions, Buffalo State took a 12-0 lead on two tries from the fleet-footed Emily Stefanski and conversion from Smith. Cortland rallied back with a converted try before Miller-Wampler dotted down the Banshees’ third try. Cortland added two penalty kicks for the 17-13 final.
“They were thrilled. They knew they had it in them. The loss the first time really just stung for quite a while because they knew they beat themselves,” Jenkinson said. “They had psyched themselves out and weren’t playing aggressively [in the first game] – I don’t know why. But they had the inner confidence and ability to overcome something that had beaten them in the past. I’m so proud of them.”
Buffalo State has competed in the previous two fall championships and advanced to the Round of 16 last year, falling to Albany. The large junior class has competed in both of those post-seasons and is now familiar with the rhythm.
“They’ve learned that this game is just as much mental as physical,” Jenkinson said of post-season lessons. “They’ve psyched themselves out in the past, going up against a team with preconceived notions. But college rugby is cyclical – you don’t know who’s doing what when. So you have to play a hard mental and physical game to prevail.”
Both Upstate New York finalists as well as third-place Geneseo are moving deeper into the playoffs. Champion Buffalo State is currently slated for a bye in the fall Round of 32 and will travel to Kutztown, Pa., on Nov. 18-19. There, the Banshees will face the winner of host Kutztown vs. Bryant, which play this weekend. Cortland will travel to Albany this weekend, while Geneseo will head to Coast Guard.
For the full DI & DII College Fall Championship bracket, click here.
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