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.

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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!

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.

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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.

The 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.

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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.

The 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.

The Wisconsin Women have received the Fall 2013 Midwest Division II league schedule and are locking down kickoff times.

Wisconsin opens the season early on August 24 at home against the Palmer Women. The game will highlight the team’s Alumni Weekend. Wisconsin has won its last three matches against Palmer, including two on the road in Davenport won by just a one-point differential.

The team will then face Division I opponent Chicago North Shore in a friendly match at home on September 7, followed by a friendly scrimmage on September 14 at University Bay Fields in Madison against the UW-Madison Women.

Wisconsin returns to League play on September 21 with its first away game against the Minneapolis Menagerie, followed by a home match against the Saint Cloud Sirens at the Sports Complex on September 28.

The women in red open October on a short road-trip to Milwaukee to play in-state “frivals”, the Milwaukee Scylla on October 5 before enjoying their first league bye weekend on October 12.

Wisconsin returns to action on October 19 at home against the Twin Cities Amazons, the Division II side of the tough Premiere League team. A final home game on October 26 against the Menagerie again will wrap up the first half of the 2013-2014 season for Wisconsin. A second league bye weekend is slated for November 2.

The team will return to league action again in Spring 2014 with games on the road against Palmer on April 5 and Saint Cloud on April 12. Schedule success will determine the team’s draw into the Midwest and National Playoffs.