Category: Midwest D-2

Wisconsin Wins USA Rugby 2015 D2 National Championship!

seriesThe Wisconsin Women’s Rugby team earned its first-ever USA Rugby National Championship on Sunday, June 14, with a hard-fought 38-28 victory against the Sacramento Amazons at Colorado’s Infinity Park Stadium.

Wisconsin had swept the Midwest playoffs to earn the 2015 Midwest Championship and continued the sweep at the USA Rugby East Regionals to represent the entire eastern half of the United States at the D2 national final. A perennial national qualifier and the 2014 D2 Runner-Up, Sacramento had similarly swept their competition to qualify as the country’s West champion.

 

Media Alert: Historic Season Sends Two Madison Rugby Teams To National Championships

WWRFC Logo - SmallWRC LogoMEDIA ALERT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 5, 2015

PDF of Media Alert

TEAM MEDIA CONTACTS:
Women’s Team – Jessica Burda
608-712-1481 / jesrupe@yahoo.com
Men’s Team – Adam Thimming
315-751-9588 / rugbymastera@gmail.com

Historic Season Sends Two Madison Rugby Teams To National Championships

Local Men’s and Women’s Programs in USA Finals June 14

MADISON, WI – Success for Madison’s rugby teams has become a strong tradition in the past few years. But the 2015 season is proving to be one for the record books. Two of Madison’s local competitive adult rugby teams – the Wisconsin Rugby Club and Wisconsin Women’s Rugby – have advanced to the USA Rugby Division 2 National Championship Finals on Sunday, June 14 in Glendale, Colo.

The Women will play the Sacramento Amazons (Calif.) for the national title at 1:15 p.m. MT at Infinity Park Stadium. The Men will battle the Life West Gladiators (Hayward, Calif.) for the men’s D2 gold medal at 3:15 p.m. MT. The matches represent a possible third national title for the men following championships in 1998 and 2013, while the women look for their first.

After completing successful spring seasons in their local Midwest competitive leagues, both teams advanced to sweep the Midwest Rugby Union’s Championships May 16-17 in Lemont, Ill. Last weekend saw both teams travel to Charlotte, N.C. to compete in the USA Rugby National Quarterfinals (Round of 8) and Semifinals (Round of 4). The women defeated Burlington (Vt.) 26-15 and Augusta (Ga.) 41-12 to advance to the national final. The men knocked out New York 19-10 and Atlanta Old White (Ga.) 24-15 to earn another shot at the title.

The teams will complete team practices and preparations at the Wisconsin Rugby Sports Complex in Cottage Grove, Wis., for the next week before traveling west next Friday, June 12. Practices are open to the media for photos, video, and interviews. Please contact Jessica (608-712-1481) or Adam (315-751-9588) prior to attending practices.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE – Wisconsin Rugby Sports Complex, 4064 Vilas Rd., Cottage Grove, Wis.
Saturday, June 6 – Women, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.; Men, 10:30 – 12:00 p.m.
Monday, June 8 and Wednesday, June 10 – Women, 5:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday, June 9 and Thursday, June 11 – Men, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Fans of the teams can follow social media for live match updates and news.
Women – www.facebook.com/wwrfc and www.twitter.com/WIWomensRugby
Men – www.facebook.com/wisconsinrugbyclub and www.twitter.com/WRC_Rugby

USA Rugby will also be live-streaming both matches via http://usarugbytv.com/. More information on the Championships from USA Rugby can be found here – http://usarugby.org/club-news/item/club-rugby-15s-national-championship-matchups-now-set.

###

Note: This was updated 3 p.m. on Friday, June 5 to correct the dates of practice days.

Spring 2014 Recap: Wisconsin Finishes 2nd in Midwest, Top 16 in Nation

Midwest
Wisconsin Women Finish 2nd in the Midwest and Top 16 in the Nation after an undefeated league season.

The 2013-2014 competitive season will go down in the team record books as one of the best for the Wisconsin Women. The Division 2 senior club team completed a perfect 8-0 undefeated regular season, followed by their third-straight appearance in the Midwest Championships.

A Victory Against Division I
After racking up six victories last fall, Wisconsin opened up the spring competition Saturday, March 29, with a friendly match against the Division 1 Chicago Women on the road. Wisconsin’s First XV defeated Chicago 28-5 and the Second XV earned a 5-0 victory for a sweep of the higher-division opponent.

Going For Perfect In League Play
Wisconsin then turned to completing its final two Midwest D2 West League matches on the road against the Palmer Women and the Twin Cities Amazons.

The women in red traveled south to Davenport on Saturday, April 5 for a match against the Palmer Women, a graduate scholarship team that is part of the Palmer Chiropractic College. Wisconsin opened up scoring just two minutes into the game with a try by Forwards Captain Kelly Clerkin, never looking back as the team earned its seventh victory of the season 70-5 against the Palmer Dragons. Clerkin earned a hat trick of tries on the day and was joined by lock Grace Hovde with her own hat trick. Wisconsin teammates Melissa Polheber, Emi Frerichs, Katie Odens, Mary Hanks, Backs Captain Nicole Helmer, and Kris Peterson all added one try a piece. Hooker Elisa Becker successfully converted five of the 12 tries. Palmer’s lone try was scored by wing Jessica Enderby. The victory ensured Wisconsin of home-field advantage in Midwest D2 playoffs.

Wisconsin hit the road again the next weekend to Minnesota to face the always-tough Twin Cities Amazons, a D2 team with a Premier League sister team who won the USA Rugby WPL National Championship last fall. The game was held Saturday, April 12, inside the University of Minnesota dome on field turf, providing a fast running surface for both teams.

The indoor match opened well for Wisconsin, as rookie scoring sensation Grace Hovde notched a try just five minutes in. Wisconsin would take a 21-0 lead at 15 minutes after additional tries by flanker Kris Peterson and prop Melissa “Helga” Polheber, with three successful conversions by Elisa Becker.

However, the game would provide a continuing challenge for the visitors to overcome thanks to a penalty-happy Sir. In a first for the Wisconsin Women, the team collected four separate yellow cards in the match’s ensuing minutes for multiple repeated infractions. [Editor’s Note: The team had only earned one red card and a small handful of yellows in the previous 10 years of competitive matches.]

The major penalties helped the less-penalized Amazons rally back in to the match, but Wisconsin eventually held on to a 36-22 victory on the day with additional tries by Kelly Mullen, Katie Odens, and Nicole Helmer. The Amazons earned tries from Ashley Kastendick (2), Maria Bowker and Stephanie Grant, with a conversion from Angela Ahrendt. The Zons four tries scored against Wisconsin also ensured them of a second-place overall finish in league play and qualification into the Midwest playoffs, knocking the Milwaukee Scylla out of contention.

The Wisconsin victory provided the team with an 8-0 regular season record and a perfect league slate, easing the burn of so many yellow cards in the match (of which the team is still perplexed by to this day.)

wwrfc_midwest_2013-2014_standingsA Tie Against Eventual D1 National Finalists
Knowing that the hardest matches of the year were still ahead of them, Wisconsin welcomed Division 1 Chicago North Shore to the Sports Complex on Saturday, April 19 for a friendly series. Wisconsin and North Shore were both missing starting players, but battled back and forth for a 5-5 tie between the teams’ First XVs. North Shore earned a 27-0 victory in the ensuing Second XV match.

Chicago North Shore later qualified to the USA Rugby National Championships (hosted here in Madison, Wis.!), finishing 2nd overall in the country after a loss to the ORSU Women.

Home-Field Advantage For Playoffs
Finishing first in Midwest league play ensured Wisconsin of home-field advantage for the Midwest playoffs round and the team welcomed the Chicago Sirens up to the Wisconsin Rugby Sports Complex on Saturday, April 26. The Sirens had finished second overall in their Midwest league, but were ultimately not a match for Wisconsin’s offensive firepower. Wisconsin earned its third-straight qualification to the Midwest Championships with a 67-5 victory against the Sirens in front of a large home crowd.

Wisconsin also hosted the Minneapolis Menagerie for a Second XV match, earning a 12-7 victory for the day.

2014 Midwest Championships
Wisconsin earned a small break with the Midwest Championships being hosted by the Will County Morrigans only a few hours south of Madison, saving the team both time and money.

The Championships saw the East Divisions represented by the defending National Champion/Midwest Champion Pittsburgh Angels and the Cincinnati Kelts Women. The West Division was represented by Wisconsin and the Amazons. Strangely, the Midwest administrators opted to have the regional teams play their other regional counterpart to qualify to the final (versus a seeded bracket as in past years).

Despite the well-known opponent in the Zons, Wisconsin was pleased to play the Minnesota team without the previous official in charge of the match. As usual between the two teams, the match proved to be physical and a hard-charging battle amongst the forward packs. Wisconsin earned a 34-19 victory on the day and looked forward to the final against the Pittsburgh Women (who had beaten them in the last two Midwest Championships by only 10 points and 3 points, respectively).

Pittsburgh defeated a scrappy Cincinnati Kelts team 34-24 in the East Division semifinal match.

National Round of 16s and Midwest Finalists
The Midwest final match also counted as a the first round of the USA Rugby national round of 16s playoffs, with the winner moving on to the USA Rugby regional playoffs held in Pittsburgh, PA.

From the first minute, the match between Pittsburgh and Wisconsin would prove to be a physical war of two strong women’s programs. Suffering a slower start than their opponents, Wisconsin fell behind early after a Pittsburgh try at the 5 minute mark. Wisconsin gritted it out however, continuing to fight, and the halftime score saw Pittsburgh up just 10-5. Heading into the second half, Wisconsin pressed their advantage by continuing to pound Pittsbugh with our forwards, capitalizing on penalties, and never giving up in the match. With 15 minutes left on the clock, Wisconsin scored to bring us within five points and a 20-15 scoreline. Pittsburgh used their kick-and-chase game to pin Wisconsin away from the try zone though and time ran out on Wisconsin’s momentum. It was truly a heartbreaker for your favorite Madison women’s rugby team.

Pittsburgh would go on to win the USA Rugby D2 National Championship, never allowing another team to a closer scoreline than Wisconsin’s.

wwrfc_usarugby_national_playoffsOverall, the 2013-2014 season was one for the Wisconsin record books. Additionally, it was also a special year for all of the players and our coach Wee Bob. The team was extremely proud of all of its hard work. Now, the team will turn to a new year and build on the continuing foundation of effort and success that is Wisconsin Women’s Rugby.

Madison To Host USA Rugby National Championships

February 26, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Jessica Burda, 608-712-1481

MADISON TO HOST USA RUGBY NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Wisconsin Welcomes Nation’s Top Men’s & Women’s Rugby Teams May 31 – June 1, 2014

seriesMADISON, WIS. — Madison’s rugby community reaches back more than 50 years and spans nine teams, but this hard-hitting sport has quietly built up a tradition of success and camaraderie here for players of all ages.

Now Madison, and the nine teams that form Madison United Rugby, are poised to step into a brighter national spotlight this spring as the city will play host to the USA Rugby Emirates Airlines Senior Club National Championships at Breese Stevens Field, May 31 – June 1.

The Championships will see single match battles for three divisions of men’s senior club rugby and two divisions of women’s senior club rugby to determine the nation’s best teams.

“We’re excited to be awarded this opportunity by USA Rugby to host the national rugby finals here in Madison,” said Max Zukowski, President of the Wisconsin Rugby Club, the city’s Division II men’s club team and a member club of Madison United Rugby. “Last year, our men’s team won the 2013 national championship in Glendale, Colorado. To know that this year’s championships will be held right here in Madison is an honor for our team and for our entire community. We’re ready to host an outstanding event for all of the teams and fans.”

This year’s National Championships will also mark the first time that both men’s and women’s club team titles have been played for at the same USA Rugby event. For Madison’s Division II women’s rugby team, that makes hosting the event a historic honor.

“This is a great opportunity for us to showcase championship women’s rugby in Madison,” added Bob Jafferis, head coach of the Wisconsin Women’s Rugby team. “People coming out to watch will see some fantastic women athletes competing in a tough and physical sport. Rugby has been a bit of a secret in Madison for nearly half a century. I’m looking forward to showing people what the sport is all about.”

In addition to both Wisconsin clubs, Madison United Rugby also includes men’s and women’s club rugby teams at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, four high school boys teams (LaFollette, Oregon, Middleton, and West Side), and the Madison Minotaurs. The Minotaurs are an all-inclusive men’s team that partners with the Wisconsin Rugby Club in fall Division IV competitive league games

and plays spring games in the International Gay Rugby Association and Board (IGRAB) league.

“The Madison Minotaurs are thrilled that USA Rugby had chosen Madison to host the National Club Rugby Championships,” said Tim Lom, President of the Madison Minotaurs. “As some of the newest members of Madison’s diverse rugby scene, the Minotaurs are proud to help represent IGRAB within the greater rugby community during what will surely be a tremendously exciting event.”

In addition to hosting the events, both of Wisconsin’s men’s and women’s Division II teams are both currently in position to potentially qualify towards the championships if they continue to play well. Both teams turned in undefeated fall seasons in their respective Midwest Rugby Union leagues. Spring will see the clubs work towards playoffs and a shot at playing on home grass at the end of the season.

For more local club information and interviews regarding Madison hosting the 2014 USA Rugby Emirates Airlines Senior Club National Championships, please contact Jessica Burda at 608-712-1481 or email rugbyfinals@gmail.com.

For more information on USA Rugby and the 2014 USA Rugby National Championship Series, please contact USA Rugby Events Communications Manager Laura Gill at 612-850-5619 or email at lgill@usarugby.org. USA Rugby has also set up a Facebook event for the National Championships. Media interested in applying for credentials can apply online via USA Rugby’s website.

FAST FACTS ABOUT RUGBY & MADISON UNITED RUGBY:

•    Madison United Rugby’s three adult teams currently practice on Sunday nights. Interested media may attend practice for interviews and photos/video. Practice frequency will pick up in March and April.

•    Rugby will return to the Olympics in 2016 after a 92-year hiatus. Rugby sevens (7-a-side) will be played in Brazil for the Summer Olympics. The United States is the most successful nation in Olympic rugby tournaments, having won the gold medal in both 1920 and 1924. Madison’s local teams play rugby sevens in the summer, but compete in 15-a-side competitive league play in the fall and spring.

•    The Wisconsin Rugby Club (men’s senior Division II) has won the USA Rugby national championship twice – 1998 and 2013. Wisconsin’s latest national title marked the third trip in the past five years to the national championships finishing third in 2008, second in 2012, and winning it all in 2013.

•    The nine teams of Madison United Rugby count many Wisconsin, Midwest and USA All-Star players in both their current and alumni rosters. The most recent Madison United Rugby player to don the red, white and blue for the national team is Grace Hovde, a 2013 USA Collegiate All-American.

•    Both the Wisconsin Rugby Club men’s team and the Wisconsin Women’s Rugby team are currently undefeated in Midwest Rugby Union league play. The men compiled an 8-0-1 overall record and are first in the Midwest Division II West Group 1 standings. The Wisconsin Women finished their fall season at a perfect 6-0-0 and will finish their Division II west league play in April to qualify for playoffs.

•    All Madison United Rugby teams welcome new players at any experience level. The teams will teach new players how to play safely and competitively. For more information, visit www.rugbymadison.org.

###

Wisconsin Slides By Scylla, 19-17, to Remain Undefeated

ruck
It’s always a physical battle when the Wisconsin Women play in-state rivals Milwaukee Scylla.

Phew! That was a close one!

The Wisconsin Women worked on their mental toughness skills Saturday to rally for a tight 19-17 win at home against in-state rivals, the Milwaukee Scylla.

A cold, windy day combined with a out-of-place roster due to some injuries and missing players presented Wisconsin with a tough spot to defend at home against the Scylla. These two teams always play a physical match and Saturday’s game was no different.

Wisconsin took 17 minutes of playing time to earn its first try by wing Emi Frerichs (unconverted) to put the first points on the scoreboard. Teammate and outside center Kelly Mullen added her own try just five minutes later, with a conversion by prop Elisa Becker, to give Wisconsin a 12-0 lead at 22 minutes.

However, Milwaukee’s power No. 8 Abigail Williams ended shutout hopes with a visitor’s try and conversion at 37 minutes to make it a 12-7 game at the half.

Both teams used the half to freshen up legs and the battle continued for another 18 minutes without a score. However, Scylla flyhalf Mara Wellner found the try zone to tie the game at 12-12 heading into the final quarter of the match. The Scylla pounced again just nine minutes later for a try by inside center Lori Haymon to take the 17-12 lead against the frustrated Wisconsin Women.

Facing a possible first loss of the season and a challenge to spring home-field advantage in the playoffs, Wisconsin dug deep and rallied back quickly. As she is known to do, fullback Lily Khadempour threaded through the tiring Scylla defense to find the try zone at the 70 minute mark and Mullen notched the conversion to give the home team back its lead, 19-17.

With 10 minutes left on the clock, the game came down to which team’s legs had the endurance to hold or break. Wisconsin held on to its lead through the whistle, earning an undefeated fall season at 6-0 in league play with the narrow victory.

Wisconsin now takes a break for the winter before returning to league play with road games at the Palmer Women and Twin Cities Amazons in April 2014.

*********

Wisconsin Women – 19
Milwaukee Scylla – 17

USA Rugby Statistics

Wisconsin Women Tries – Emi Frerichs, Lily Khadempour, Kelly Mullen
Wisconsin Women Conversions – Elisa Becker, Kelly Mullen

Milwaukee Scylla Tries – Lori Haymon, Mara Wellner, Abigail Williams
Milwaukee Scylla Conversions – Abigail Williams

Wisconsin Lineup:
1. Elisa Becker
2. Emily “Mouth” Mastandrea
3. Nadia Riese
4. Melissa Polheber
5. Liz Robinson
6. Amanda “Stoli” Stoltz
7. Kris Peterson
8. Sammy Clevenger
9. Mary Hanks
10. Meaghan White
11. Emi Frerichs
12. Nicole Helmer
13. Kelly Mullen
14. Jennifer Messer
15. Lily Khadempour

Reserves: Meg Blodgett, Kim Distin, Jill Lehmann, Michelle “Mike” Blaser, Greta Slack, Katie “KO” Odens, Marissa “Fizz” Kraynak, Sybil Levine

jerseys
Wisconsin’s team jerseys laid out for the pre-game lineup ceremony.
scrum
Wisconsin scrum vs. the Milwaukee Scylla
backs
Wisconsin’s backs on the attack – Flyhalf Meaghan White passes it wide.
helga
Wisconsin lock Melissa “Helga” Polheber bashes through several Scylla defenders.
ruck
Wisconsin forwards battling for a ball in the ruck.
mary and backs
No. 9 Mary Hanks attacking off a scrum with support from our backline.
kelly
Wisconsin center Kelly Mullen breaks through the Scylla defense to score a try. Teammates Nicole Helmer (left) and Jennifer Messer (right) are in support.
Elisa
Wisconsin forward Elisa Becker converts successfully after a try.
ruck
Digging the ball out of the ruck.
halftime
Coach Bob “Wee Bob” Jafferis talking to our players on the sideline.
emi
Defending against the Scylla maul.
lineout
Stealing the Scylla lineout deep in our territory.
Helmer
Wisconsin team captain and inside center Nicole Helmer on the attack.
Emi
Wisconsin wing Emi Frerichs outracing the Scylla defense.
base
Wisconsin’s Emily “Mouth” Mastandrea gets clean ball from a great ruck by her teammates.
lily
Wisconsin fullback Lily Khadempour is all smiles in the game.
stoli
This kid has a case of the “Stolis”.
emi
Wisconsin wing Emi Frerichs on the run, but we don’t like that scoreboard right now.
forwards
But don’t worry! The forwards are there to help bring the ball up the field. Flanker Kim Distin (17) with lots of support from her teammates after Emi’s rucked ball.
lily
And then Lily scored a try to take back the lead. Here she is walking back out of the try zone. Yeah Lily!
meaghan
Wisconsin flyhalf Meaghan White dishes the ball to hooker Emily “Mouth” Mastandrea for crash ball.
meg
Wisconsin forwards Meg Blodgett and Jill Lehmann on the tear.
team
Wisconsin Women’s Rugby team photo after defeating Milwaukee Scylla, 19-17, November 2, 2014.

Wisconsin Races Past Minneapolis Menagerie, 72-12

Wisconsin vs. Zons - Emi and WWRFCThe Wisconsin Women’s Rugby team earned its fifth straight league win with a track-meet 72-12 victory against the visiting Minneapolis Menagerie Saturday afternoon.

The lopsided win strongly retained Wisconsin’s hold on the No. 1 spot of the Midwest North Division league standings and provided a great game for cheering fans at the Wisconsin Rugby Club Sports Complex.

Wisconsin opened up strong, scoring three unanswered tries by no. 8 Sammy Clevenger, and props Meg Blodgett and Nadia Riese. The home team controlled nearly all aspects of the game moving forward and entered the second half at 29-0 after additional tries by outside center Kelly Mullen and scrumhalf Mary Hanks. Mullen converted two of the five tries successfully.

Wisconsin opened the second half with a second try by Hanks (unconverted) before Minneapolis’ Sophia McCabe finally broke the shutout with a try at the 44-minute mark (conversion by Marie Anderson) to update the score to 34-7.

Hanks would notch her third for the first hat trick of the game at 51 minutes and the team welcomed back formerly injured teammate Elisa Becker back on a successful conversion. Wisconsin wing Sybil Levine only waited a few minutes after Hanks’ try to notch her own first-ever try for her new team, with another successful Becker conversion, to make it 48-7 at just 55 minutes into the game.

No heading into the final 20 minutes, Wisconsin’s runners broke open the Menagerie backline as Mullen scored at 63 minutes, followed quickly by back-to-back tries by rookie flanker Maddie Hettinger at 65 and 70 minutes.

Mullen notched a second hat trick for Wisconsin at the 78th minute with another conversion by Becker take the 72-7 lead with just two minutes left in the game. However, Minneapolis’s Alisson Sladek powered through the Wisconsin defense in the final seconds to earn a final try and ending the game at 72-12.

Wisconsin will look to wrap up the fall half of the league season at home next Saturday against in-state rival, the Milwaukee Scylla.

*********

Wisconsin Women – 72
Minneapolis Menagerie – 12

USA Rugby Statistics

Wisconsin Tries – Meg Blodgett, Sammy Clevenger, Mary Hanks (3), Maddie Hettinger (2), Sybil Levine, Kelly Mullen (3), Nadia Riese.

Wisconsin Conversions – Elisa Becker (4), Kelly Mullen (2)

Minneapolis Menagerie Tries – Sophia McCabe, Alisson Sladek

Minneapolis Menagerie Conversions – Marie Anderson

Wisconsin Lineup:
1. Meghan Blodgett
2. Emily “Mouth” Mastandrea
3. Nadia Riese
4. Mollie Overby
5. Jill Lehman
6. Amanda “Stoli” Stoltz
7. Maddie Hettinger
8. Sammy Clevenger
9. Mary Hanks
10. Meaghan White
11. Katie Odens
12. Marissa Kraynak
13. Kelly Mullen
14. Emily Frerichs
15. Jennifer Messer

Reserves: Liz Robinson, Jinelle Kubly, Greta Slack, Kelly Clerkin, Elisa Becker, Nicole Helmer, Sybil Levine, Anne-Sophie Daloz.

Wisconsin Earns Fourth League Win, Down Zons 29-10

Wisconsin team huddle at the Wisconsin Sports Complex before the kickoff versus the Twin Cities Amazons.
Wisconsin team huddle at the Wisconsin Sports Complex before the kickoff versus the Twin Cities Amazons.

The Wisconsin Women improved to 4-0 in Midwest league play after defeating the visiting Twin Cities Amazons 29-10 at the Wisconsin Rugby Club Sports Complex Saturday.

Wisconsin lock Jessica Burda opened up scoring just four minutes into play, dotting the ball down in the far corner by the flag after a series of forward plays to keep the ball moving forward.

The Zons rallied hard after this early score, providing Wisconsin with a tough, physical match in front of the home crowd. Wisconsin flanker Kris Peterson broke a brief scoring drought at 26 minutes after racing through the opposition to center the ball under the posts. Outside Center Kelly Mullen made the kick for the conversion, improving the score to 12-0.

With just five minutes left in the half, Amazon wing Kate Stephens scored for the visiting team to finally put some points on the board, 12-5. The ensuing conversion was missed.

After the halftime with both teams making substitutions, it took Wisconsin 17 minutes to pick apart the Zons defense to score again. Flyhalf Meaghan White raced in the try at 57 minutes (conversion missed).

Wisconsin’s backline built momentum as the second half progressed. Backline teammates Nicole Helmer (Inside Center) and Lily Khadempour (Fullback) dotted down Wisconsin’s last two tries at 67 minutes and 75 minutes, respectively, while Mullen made the final conversion to increase the home team’s lead to 29-5. However, Zons wing Jasmine Davis proved the Twin Cities team wasn’t finished, earning a final unconverted try in the final minute to make it 29-10.

The Wisconsin Women have now beaten every other team in the Midwest North Division and have two league games remaining for this fall.

*********

Wisconsin Women – 29
Twin Cities Amazons (D2) – 10

USA Rugby Statistics

Wisconsin Tries – Jessica Burda, Nicole Helmer, Lily Khadempour, Kris Peterson, Meaghan White.

Wisconsin Conversions – Kelly Mullen (2)

Twin Cities Amazons Tries – Jasmine Davis, Kate Stephens

Twin Cities Amazons Conversions – None

Wisconsin Lineup:
1. Melissa “Helga” Polheber
2. Emily “Mouth” Mastandrea
3. Nadia Riese
4. Jessica Burda
5. Mollie Overby
6. Amanda Stoltz
7. Kris Peterson
8. Kelly Clerkin (Captain)
9. Mary Hanks
10. Meaghan White
11. Jennifer Messer
12. Nicole Helmer (Captain)
13. Kelly Mullen
14. Katie Odens
15. Lily Khadempour

Reserves: Samantha Clevenger, Jill Lehman, Maddie Hettinger, Meg Blodgett, Corinna Senn, Emi Frerichs, Kim Distin, Marissa “Fizz” Kraynak.

Thank you to all of our B-side and Reserve players for their great support!

Helga
Wisconsin Prop Melissa “Helga” Polheber takes crash ball off a ruck.
Twin Cities Amazons Scrum vs. Wisconsin Women
Twin Cities Amazons Scrum vs. Wisconsin Women
Kelly
Wisconsin No. 8 and Team Captain Kelly Clerkin attacking through the Amazons defense.
kris try
Wisconsin flanker Kris Peterson broke through the Amazons at the 26th minute to score this try.
stoli
Wisconsin flanker Amanda “Stoli” Stoltz wins the ball in a lineout against the Zons.
attack
Wisconsin scrumhalf Mary Hanks and flanker Kris Peterson double-team the Amazon No. 8 after Wisconsin’s forwards wheeled the Twin Cities scrum.
def
Wall defense against the Zons ruck.
greta
Greta says “cheeseeee!” at halftime.
Meagh
Wisconsin flyhalf Meaghan White boots the ball over the Twin Cities defense in the second half.
meg
Meaghan White outracing two Zons defenders to score at 57 minutes.
helmer
Team captain and inside center Nicole Helmer has nothing but grass in front on her on the way to score.
kick
Wisconsin outside center Kelly Mullen kicks the ball for a successful conversion in front of the home crowd.
score
Wisconsin defends their field in the scrum against the Twin Cities Amazons late in the second half.
Maddie
Wisconsin rookie flanker Maddie Hettinger racing through the defense in the closing minutes.
score
Midwest league victory no. 4!
team
Wisconsin Women Team Photo after defeating the Twin Cities Amazons, 29-10, on Oct. 19, 2013.

Wisconsin Remains Undefeated, Slams Milwaukee Scylla 30-5

Wisconsin kicks off against the Milwaukee Scylla.
Wisconsin kicks off against the Milwaukee Scylla, Oct. 5, 2013 on the foggy shores of Lake Michigan.

The Wisconsin Women gained outright control of the Midwest Division II standings in the north league Saturday with a decisive 30-5 win on the road against the Milwaukee Scylla.

Played in foggy conditions on the shores of Lake Michigan, the game marked the first of two meetings this fall between the two Wisconsin-based teams. The women in red also sought retribution after suffering a stinging one-point loss last fall to the Scylla that knocked Wisconsin out of hosting playoffs heading into the Midwest Championships. It was Wisconsin’s only loss to the Scylla in the last seven years. Needless to say, the Madison players were out for blood.

The match exceeded expectations for physicality. Milwaukee brought a powerful scrum to the field and held a clear size advantage amongst the forwards overall. The Scylla’s bruisers kept up a relentless pounding up the middle of the field throughout the match to test Wisconsin’s forwards and defensive post.

However, Milwaukee’s backline could not keep pace with the Madison team’s speed and ability to spread the field wide across all 15 players. Wisconsin’s scrappy backrow players kept the ball in play for their teammates even when scrums and breakdowns were lost, taking down Scylla players at the knees to create turnover ball.

Wisconsin wing Jennifer Messer opened up scoring just three minutes into the match after picking off a floating pass between Milwaukee’s centers, racing in to dot down the ball and put Wisconsin on the board.

Teammate and prop Melissa “Helga” Pohleber earned the team’s next points at 17 minutes, before Milwaukee finally broke down Wisconsin’s defense to score a try by the big No. 8 Abby Williams.

Wisconsin hurt themselves with a few near-scores that they just couldn’t capitalize on to keep the Scylla within reach. However, Wisconsin worked hard to control the remainder of the match and kept the Scylla frustratingly pinned down in their end of the field.

Wisconsin’s backs took ownership of the second half with three tries to seal the win. Fullback Lily Khadempour notched a try right away at 42 minutes. A deep roster brought in fresh legs to break a minor scoring drought in the last quarter of the game before Wisconsin flyhalf Meaghan White raced in her team’s fourth try at 73 minutes.

Wisconsin captain Nicole Helmer would put the final nail in the Scylla coffin just three minutes later on a run set up by White (who self-sacrificed her body for a beauty of a set-up) and the game ended in the away team’s favor.

Both teams also celebrated healthy rosters with an 80-minute b-side match, unheard of for both sides just a few years ago. Milwaukee edged Wisconsin in the developmental game.

Wisconsin flanker Kris Peterson earned Player of the Match honors for the A-side game, while Mollie Overby earned B-side player of the match honors for her utility play across multiple positions.

Wisconsin improves to 3-0 overall in league play and earned the bonus point as well for the standings. Saturday’s win improved Wisconsin to 130 points scored and just five points against them across those three matches. The team will rest October 12 with a bye weekend before beginning a three-game homestand to end the fall season. Up next, they’ll host the Twin Cities Amazons at 1:00 p.m. at the Wisconsin Rugby Club Sports Complex.

********

Wisconsin Women – 30
Milwaukee Scylla – 5

USA Rugby Statistics

Wisconsin Tries – Nicole Helmer, Lily Khadempour, Jennifer Messer, Melissa Pohleber, Meaghan White.

Wisconsin Conversions – None.

Milwaukee Tries – Abigail Williams.

Milwaukee Conversions – None.

Wisconsin Lineup:
1. Melissa Polheber
2. Emily “Mouth” Mastandrea
3. Nadia Riese
4. Jessica Burda
5. Sammy Clevenger
6. Amanda Stoltz
7. Kris Peterson
8. Kelly Clerkin (Captain)
9. Mary Hanks
10. Meaghan White
11. Emi Frerichs
12. Nicole Helmer (Captain)
13. Kelly Mullen
14. Jennifer Messer
15. Lily Khadempour

Reserves: Mollie Overby, Corinna Senn, Jill Lehmann, Maddie Hettinger, Katie Odens, Kim Distin, Greta Slack, Marissa Kraynak.

Additional B-Side Players: Jinelle Kubly, Loralee Bilke, Michelle Blaser, Anne-Sophie Daloz, Kestrel Felton, Mack Stout, Sophia Weerth.

Awesome Support Players: Lisa Burley, Casey Shearing, Elisa Becker and Kit Sargent.

Wisconsin Mauls Menagerie on the Road, 48-0

caption
Wisconsin Women after defeating Midwest D2 League opponent Minneapolis Menagerie, 48-0, on the road in Minneapolis on Saturday, September 21, 2013.

Minneapolis Menagerie LogoWWRFC Logo - SmallThe Wisconsin Women earned a resounding victory on the road against the Minneapolis Menagerie, 48-0, to improve to 2-0 in Midwest Division 2 Women’s League play.

As Wisconsin Coach Bob “Wee Bob” Jafferis reminded us after the game, “the win is nice, but that zero is what you should all be really proud of.”

The Menagerie challenged Wisconsin throughout the match and took advantage of the referee’s lenient calls on breakdowns. But the women in red shut down every scoring opportunity to seal their second consecutive shutout win of the season.

Wisconsin scrumhalf Mary Hanks scored four tries to in the victory to earn the team’s Player of the Match honors. The Menagerie named outside center Kelly Mullen as their honoree from Wisconsin for her outstanding breaks through the line. Mullen also scored one try and kicked four successful conversions to earn 13 points for Wisconsin’s scoreline.

The match also celebrated Anne-Sophie Daloz’s first ever try scored in a competitive match. Our favorite French citizen raced in the try on a breakaway out at the wing and let us practice our french celebratory vocabulary to cheer her on.

The victory also pushed Wisconsin to the top of the current league standings, ahead of the Twin Cities Amazons and the Milwaukee Scylla.

The team will rest September 28 with a bye weekend before returning to league play on the road against the Milwaukee Scylla, October 5.

********

Wisconsin Women – 48
Minneapolis Menagerie – 0

USA Rugby Statistics

Wisconsin Tries – Anne-Sophie Daloz, Emi Frerichs, Mary Hanks (4), Lily Khadempour, Kelly Mullen.

Wisconsin Conversions – Kelly Mullen (4).

Wisconsin Lineup:
1. Melissa Polheber
2. Emily “Mouth” Mastandrea
3. Nadia Riese
4. Mollie Overby
5. Jessica Burda
6. Corinna Senn
7. Meghan Blodgett
8. Kelly Clerkin (Captain)
9. Mary Hanks
10. Meaghan White
11. Emi Frerichs
12. Nicole Helmer (Captain)
13. Kelly Mullen
14. Jennifer Messer
15. Lily Khadempour
Reserves: Katie Odens, Sybil Levine, Kim Distin, Jinelle Kubly, Greta Slack, Liz Robinson, Melissa Zener, Anne-Sophie Daloz.

The following teammates also are awesome for helping on the sidelines: Lisa Burley, Kit Sargent, Michelle “Mike” Blaser.

Wisconsin Falls to Chicago North Shore in Bruisefest, 30-5

Chicago North ShoreWWRFC Logo - SmallThe best kind of rugby makes the hurt feel good.

In an early season friendly, the Wisconsin Women dropped a highly physical match, 30-5, to the Chicago North Shore Women Saturday.

The match provided both teams with an opportunity to prepare for league play in their representative Midwest Divisions. Wisconsin (D2) challenged North Shore (D1) throughout the match, but failed to complete a number of scoring opportunities against the 2011 Division I National Champions. The game also saw a number of rookies for both teams gain competitive playing experience.

Overall, Wisconsin’s leadership was pleased with the match and the team’s output in physical plan and mental toughness.

Flanker Amanda “Stoli” Stoltz was named the Player of the Match against North Shore for her endless energy in the loose play. Scrumhalf Mary Hanks scored the team’s lone try.

Wisconsin also hosted three college sides in a brief morning skills camp – University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Platteville and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The college sides played in a friendly round-robin with developmental players from the Wisconsin Women following the match against Chicago North Shore.

Center Marissa “Fizz” Kraynak was named the Player of the Match in the round-robin after catching every pass that came her way.

See Chicago North Shore’s Match Report here.