Thirty-five ladies in orange and green held synchronous inhales as they watched North Shore attempt a conversion kick with less than two minutes remaining in the match on Saturday. With mingled sweat and rain running down their temples, the Lady Rats watched the kicker drive the ball in a low arc. Puddles lay beneath their feet, growing deeper with the passing minutes of torrential rain. With bodies exhausted from an epic back-and-forth battle through the mud with their division rivals, Charles River watched as the kick sailed just inside the right post. North Shore celebrated wildly as they pulled ahead 7-5 with little time left for CRWRFC to counter. The visitors celebrated again shortly, as the referee’s treble whistle pierced a devastated silence along the River sideline.
Charles River and North Shore collided early and battled for the entirely of the match’s 80 minutes. In the first half, the River ladies kept excellent pressure on North Shore. They gathered momentum early in the game, on a background of stalwart forward play led by the spectacular rucking of Jehanne “Juggs” Junguenet and the aggressive tackles of Chrissy “C” Andronico. River pressed over the visitors’ turf, grinding away at the North Shore defense. North Shore met the Rats with force, and the two teams battled back and forth around the 22-meter mark. The press into North Shore’s end was cut short by encroaching thunderstorms, and River’s momentum was halted by weather. Both teams retreated from host MIT’s Briggs Field to seek shelter.
When the first half resumed with only fifteen minutes having expired from play, the rivals continued to butt heads. North Shore broke into Charles River territory, answering River’s pressure from before the unscheduled break. Alex Schmidt (later North Shore’s Opponent Pick of the Game) cleared the ball several times from fullback, while the forwards held the pressure from the opposition. As the teams warmed again, Charles River drove North Shore back across midfield with a series of sharp runs from the back line. The River backs passed, popped and shuffled the ball, sharing excellent communication through the middle. Fullback Schmidt used well-placed kicks to initiate a North Shore retreat. The ubiquitous Rachel Gaines made a solid start at Flyhalf, engineering the plays that would gain territory for River. She commanded the back line, strategically positioning the Rat backs’ offensive drive. Gaines, as always, kept River focused defensively. She called for a unified movement through the back that kept the Rats sharp against encroaching North Shore plays. Gaines was recognized at the Back of the Game by captains Evangelista and VanKuren.
While the attack of both teams ebbed and flowed, Outside Center Maegan Hoover was a pivot point throughout the morning; her sure hands reeled in passes and loose balls despite the adverse field conditions. Hoover made multiple short runs, punching through the North Shore line before connecting with the River wings. She linked several times with Wings Katy Wilks and Julia Messing, whose explosive speed led to many short gains for River. Keeping a dynamic play style, the Ratpack and Rat backs mixed their tactics and ball movement. Flankers Lupe Thun and Carisa “K” Weaver both shined. Each ran and rucked, tackled and exploded through the North Shore line with uncompromising intensity. For all their efforts, and for all the Rats’ pressure, however, neither Charles River nor North Shore gained any points by the conclusion of the first half.
After boisterous words of encouragement from Coach Hal Baker, as well as points of focus from Captains Evangelista and VanKuren, the Rats reengaged with North Shore. The game’s latter minutes proved just as tight a battle. The Ratpack, as always outweighed, held its own through scrum play. With veteran anchors Kara McAuliffe and Anne “Wales” Beaumont powering River from the second row, River jumped on possession opportunities and ran with confidence. Donning boots heavy with water and uniforms splattered with mud, both teams pressed back and forth. Charles River continued to excel in the rucking game on the strength of Junguenet’s sustained effort. Junguenet repeatedly led the way into pressure, allowing River to maintain ball possession with consistency. In one memorable effort with the ball tied up in a maul for River, she single-handedly drove the pack from a deadlock, rolling the maul forward for a River gain. Junguenet and Andronico made themselves nearly impassible against the North Shore attack, while they motivated a Ratpack that moved lithely as a unit. Amidst the back-and-forth battling, Erin Gillespie played a brilliant game at Scrumhalf. Even with slippery field conditions, Gillespie pulled the ball from traffic with precision. Gillespie rucked, ran, and passed, completing a well-rounded effort that held the Rats steady through the middle, and sharp in transition.
With ten minutes remaining in the second half, River was awarded a penalty after a North Shore infraction. Carisa “K” Weaver, continuing her impressive performance, took the ball through the North Shore defense from the penalty marker. Weaver gained significant yardage for CRWRFC before dishing the ball to Chrissy “C” Andronico, whose unwavering efforts earned her a Bitch of the Pitch award for the forwards. Andronico, who ran in consistent support all game, powered through the North Shore field. As multiple defenders impeded her progress, Andronico dished the ball to Anne “Wales” Beaumont, who followed to support her. Beaumont, consistently a power runner for River, broke to gain the final yards before the try line, touching down for a Rat score. Rats on the field and off celebrated alike, as the home River ladies took the lead, scoring the first points in a match that was deadlocked for seven-eighths of its duration. River missed its conversion, but returned to midfield for a kickoff with only minutes remaining, leading 5-0.
The pressure from both sides reached a crescendo in the final minutes. North Shore pushed the Rats back into their zone as the clock dwindled. They seized the opportunity to answer River’s try when they jumped on a loose ball near the try zone. With two quick advances, they touched down the ball to erase the Charles River lead with two minutes remaining in the game. With the score tied at 5, River watched North Shore line up a long conversion attempt. As the kicker launched the ball, the outcome of the game riding on its trajectory, all eyes followed. It cut though the air, and through the rain, reaching its apex and then curving back down. Before the parabolic path reached its end, the ball passed through the corner of the uprights. North Shore took the 7-5 lead. Charles River would not have time to respond.
It was obvious that the Lady Rats had given themselves wholly to the effort—there was an immediate emotional deflation after the closing whistle. Amidst pats on the back, hugs, and a few tears, Captain Alicia Evangelista stepped forward to congratulate the Rats on a spectacular effort. Coach Hal Baker and Captain Jenn “JVK” VanKuren echoed her sentiments, expressing great satisfaction with and esteem for both the Charles River team and its accomplishments. “Sometimes,” Baker consoled, “you just run into some bad luck.” The Lady Rats exchanged congratulations among teammates for a match comprised of strong play, energy, resolution, and cohesiveness. Finding consolation in these positives, River vowed to build on the momentum of consistent improvement over the course of this spring season before their NERFU tournament.
Mirroring last week’s play schedule, the B-side began the action before the A-side took the field. The Rats met a skilled, strong MIT squad at their home Briggs Field in Cambridge. The former Division III national champion college squad swallowed much of the Charles River attack, and the B-side Lady Rats fell to the Engineers, unable to score a try during the weather-shortened game. River had trouble containing the MIT offensive, which powered though the line with consistency. Jehanne “Juggs” Junguenet led the rucking effort for River, beginning the strong performance that she would bring to the A-side afterwards. Rookie Rat Molly Desmond had a strong game as well. Desmond ran in support of her teammates throughout the game, providing a frequent offload option for the CRWRFC offense. Rat Captain Alicia Evangelista also excelled, demonstrating her trademark dependability at the prop position. Evangelista provided steadfast support to her teammates in the rucks, while simultaneously manifesting herself as a nearly impenetrable point on the River defensive line. The star of the B-side, however, was Rookie Diana Ekman. Ekman demonstrated spectacular speed at the wing position. She caught several passes down the line, accelerating effortlessly into the MIT line. Despite her speed to the outside, however, River could not touch a ball down in the MIT try zone. When lightning halted the game in the second half, the Engineers took a decisive win from their home turf.
The Charles River ladies received the news this week that they would have the chance to avenge their heartbreaking loss at the New England Rugby Football Union tournament in Newport, RI, on Saturday. They will face Middlesex at 8AM, and will reinitiate the battle with rival North Shore at 12 noon. These games, and any ensuing ones, will be played at Fort Adams State Park in Newport. The Rats have built their spring season in anticipation of this tournament, and look forward to showcasing their excellence in the quest for some NERFU hardware.
