Published: Thursday, November 19, 2009

Updated: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 11:06 

The Wentworth Ruggers Women’s Rugby team shut out the University of Hartford to win the regional championship 17-0 Saturday, November 14 in a muddy but confident game. Following a trend of athletic achievement this fall, the team is preparing for their eighth game in their first undefeated season since 2005 with enthusiasm and confidence. This cohesive group of athletes has been practicing since August and plans to continue as far as their winning streak brings them.

In the division final game, the Ruggers completely shut out their Hartford opposition, scoring three tries (the rugby equivalent of a touchdown) and one conversion kick. While most of the first half remained scoreless, the team built up their confidence and held control as the clock ran. Laura Sau of Wentworth scored the first two tries, followed by Elise Ordile of Wheelock. After Sau’s second try, Cathy Ordile of Emmanuel completed the conversion kick.

Not only is this the longest winning streak the team has experienced, they are the first team in Wentworth athletic history to qualify for a National Championship. The Ruggers are a Wentworth club team, but students from every College of the Fenway have joined the ranks of these dedicated and intense athletes.

Looking forward, Head Coach Keith Cattanach, Wentworth Alumnus, is focusing on perfecting some of the basic techniques that have worked well for the team in the regular season. Despite clearly favorable results, he always finds something to improve upon.

“Even though we played well this past week, there are pros and cons to each game,” he said. “We try to figure out what didn’t work last week and improve it and reemphasize regular game play.”

The team has focused highly on fitness this season, incorporating it into all of their drills to increase stamina and endurance. Cattanach recalls previous seasons where he would have to substitute four or five players at half time, where now, the starting lineup can play the entire 80-minute game.

The post season is the time when the team can really improve its repertoire of skills past what time usually allows them. According to Cattanach, the beginning of the season is spent entirely on basics. Now that they are facing more advanced adversaries, they are pushing a more complex technique.

“We are at the point in the post season that we can strategize,” said assistant coach Catherine Carmigani. “We can get fancy.”

Both coaches reported that the team performs better when there is a higher goal in sight and that they “thrive off of their fans.”

“They are a slow starting team,” said Carmigani. “But they build into this force that just refuses to lose by the end of the game.”

Though the team does not have varsity status, the level of commitment the players give is varsity level. Cattanach explained that though he understands that they are students first, he expects a certain dedication to the team’s success.

“They really got that,” he said.

Along with developing technique, the Ruggers’ unity and dedication are defining traits in the team’s overall growth.

“This is the first strong solid team,” said Carmigani. “They were strong from the start and we’ve seen the numbers prove that consistently.”

The team’s win secured their spot in the National Championship against Drexel University in Cherry Hill, New Jersey this Sunday at 1 p.m.

*Scrum Photo
by Shannon Brown
Wentworth Ruggers Women’s Rugby fights to keep control in a scrum against Merrimack College on Nov. 14.