Below is the women’s portion of the USA Rugby club recap, as produced by The Rugby Breakdown. See full, original article. Additionally, the DI East and Frontier Red River have been separated out due to the multiple regions competing in both leagues.
RELATED: Women’s rugby scores: Sept. 27-28
DIVISION I
The East opened up league play and put six of seven teams into motion. The reigning club champion NOVA started league play with a 27-7 win over Raleigh. Stephanie Barros, CJ Hildreth and Emily Fulbrook scored tries, while Bri Kim accounted for 12 points on two penalties and three conversions.
“We’ve had a deliberately slow buildup to the fall season because of the need for a break following a nonstop schedule from March through August,” NOVA scrumhalf Bri Kim referenced back-to-back 15s and 7s nationals. “There has been some player turnover from last year to this year but we’ve gained some new players too. We have a strong returning core and the new players are already showcasing their ability to contribute. This ultimately led to our strong team win against Raleigh.”
It was a special opener for Charlotte (1-0), which won its first-ever DI match after a winless season last year. Charlotte traveled to the D.C. Furies (0-1) for a 29-12 win.
Boston (1-0) beat Philadelphia (0-1) 29-5, and saw Hannah Bogich, Margaret Reiss, Isabel Haber (2) and Emily Chretien dot down their first tries of the season. Stacy Markovic added two conversions while Lucy Dawson accounted for Philly’s points.
“As far as the victory goes, it’s a weight off our shoulders,” Charlotte head coach Brad Richard said. “It was a quick rise in DII to get to the championship and win it, and it was kind of a let-down to come to DI and we couldn’t win a match. It’s been hesitant and unsure up until now, but this solidifies for the players that we’re putting in the right amount of effort and we can stay here among the DI teams.”
Austin (1-0) hosted the Denver Black Ice (0-2) for its first match of the new Frontier Red River season, and won 69-12. Seven people scored 11 tries, with wing Amethyst Gamez, lock Sophie Babo and Madison Hammer accounting for multiple scores.
(Midwest DI in the Midwest section below)
ATLANTIC NORTH
In DII Empire, Monmouth and Uticuse played the closest game of the weekend and saw the New Jersey side surge late for a 24-17 win. Mercedez Roper led Union with three tries en route to a 38-12 win over Long Island. Eight players scored in the Village Lions’ 53-7 win over Brooklyn, and New Haven forfeited to Danbury.
Worcester (4-0) is the only undefeated team remaining in DII New England, having defeated Burlington (2-1) 17-12 last weekend.
“All of the tries happened in the first half, so the last 40 minutes was a complete battle of wills,” Worcester head coach Tran Nguyen said.
“It was definitely a battle and both teams left it all on the field,” Shamrocks co-captain Laura Hetherman said. “The depth of our team is why we won that game. We used six, seven subs and they all came in and made an impact.”
The other two games produced identical scorelines, 34-17. Portland (2-2) beat Albany (1-3), and Providence (2-1) topped Hartford (1-2).
In New England Division III, Rutland (0-3) forfeited to North Shore (2-1).
FRONTIER
In the six-team DII Mid-America, St. Louis (1-0) traveled to the Omaha Goats (0-1) for a 36-21 season-opening victory. Anna Albrecht led all scorers with 11 on a try and three conversions.
MID-ATLANTIC
It was a quiet weekend in the Mid-Atlantic, but Division II Severn River (3-0) used its Saturday to beat Norfolk (0-2) 43-10. Prop Kathryn Todorovich, outside center Alyson McCarty and fullback Kaitlyn Marshall scored two tries apiece.
Lehigh Valley (1-2) won its first match of the Division III North season, beating Wilmington 74-20. Rebecca Rivera Rodriguez, Korissa Seidel and Hannah Dalmas featured heavily in the box score. In Division III South, Rappahannock (1-1) put five different players from a diversity of positions into the try zone against NOVA (0-2), salving the sting of a two-point loss to the Maryland Stingers (1-0) in early September.
MIDWEST
In Division I, the Chicago Lions (3-0-1) beat Detroit 70-12 and, with the exception of No. 8 Aurora Macek’s scores, finished its tries through the backs. Chicago (3-2) forfeited to Metropolis (3-0-1).
All of the Division II victors won by convincing margins. In the East Gold, North Buffalo (1-2) held a 14-12 lead after 41 minutes, but then Pittsburgh Forge (3-0) surged in the third quarter to pull away for a 59-21 win. Former Nittany Lion Scout Cheeks finished the day with four tries. South Buffalo (1-2) won its first match of the season on the road in Akron (0-3).
In East Green, the Louisville (0-5) vs. Dayton (1-3) match was recorded as a forfeit, but the game that did evolve went 50-12 in favor of the Ohioans. The Cincinnati Kelts (3-0) shut out Grand Rapids (2-2) 41-0. The team moved the ball around well and only saw No. 8 Gina Fanelli score twice.
In the West, Palmer College (3-0) defeated Minneapolis Menagerie (0-2) 126-0 and has only allowed 10 points against thus far this season. Thirteen players scored 20 tries, and flyhalf Claire Tomashek and No. 8 Wren Felton handled the conversions.
Twin Cities suffered its first loss of the season to Milwaukee Scylla (2-1), which banked a 49-3 victory. Of its eight try-scorers, only lock Shannon Will dotted down twice. Oconomowoc (1-3) forfeited to the Chicago Sirens (2-1).
PACIFIC NORTH
In the DII Pacific Northwest, Emerald City is setting the pace, posting a 55-0 win against Portland last weekend.
“I feel the league has more become more consistent with teams being more evenly balanced. All the three teams that the Mudhens have played have proven tough opponents despite the score,” Emerald City head coach John Wooler reviewed the season thus far. “I was impressed by Boise, who has come back with a robust program, substantial numbers, and some quality talent. I think they could be contenders within a couple of years. Portland has always shown strong commitment as have Budd Bay.
“I feel that several teams have restructured and are developing quickly. There is no team in the league that we play against that we take for granted. The level across all teams has made me as a coach push our strategy and skills, which is the way all teams grow stronger,” Wooler added.
Budd Bay traveled to Boise United for a 45-10 win, and South Sound also won on the road: 36-27 over Eugene.
SOUTH
In DII Carolinas-Georgia, Augusta (2-0) beat Columbia (0-1) 41-7 and got multi-try performances out of Katrina Steiner, Madison Hovren and Colleen Markyna.