As the Green and Orange met the Shamrocks, the Charles River ladies seized a winning record with an exclamation point this weekend in Worcester. The Lady Rats won in decisive fashion, defeating the home Shamrocks 36-5 as they traveled to the base of Mount Saint James.
The phenomenally fast River wings did most of the scoring honors on Saturday, but, as always, the breakout plays started with hard-fought and well-maintained possessions made from the Ratpack, and smooth transition though the line. River began the tallies when Flanker Amanda Bernasconi broke loose with possession at the beginning of the game. After making significant progress, Bernasconi dished the ball to winger Julia Messing, who broke into an unstoppable sprint up the sideline. Messing jiggled and sidestepped around several defenders, displaying an impressively evasive running style to compliment her superlative speed. Flyhalf Alex Schmidt threaded a successful conversion kick, and the Rats had a lead they would keep for the game’s entirety.
Worcester answered with one score when the Shamrocks wrestled the ball across the right side of the CRWRFC try line, but the flood gates had opened for River. The Lady Rats would reply to Worcester’s one try with five unanswered scores. Winger Katy Wilks busted into the try zone after a showcase of fluid offloads through a united River squad. A steadfast Ratpack won the ball out to Flyhalf Alex Schmidt, whose play calls foiled the Worcester defense all day. Schmidt transitioned the ball to Maegan Hoover, playing in the center spot. Hoover broke the gain line for the Rats, before offloading to veteran powerhouse Chrissy “C” Andronico, who ran in support. Andronico gained significant yardage for River before cycling the ball out to Wilks, who exploded forward for the score. Wilks made her way to the center of the try zone before touching down the ball, setting up a straight-on conversion for Alex Schmidt.
The Rats consistently pressured Worcester late in the first half. This pressure earned them the opportunity for a third try when a panicked Shamrock team, backed into its own end, attempted a clearing kick. Aggressive Flanker Amanda Bernasconi charged forward to block Worcester’s clear attempt. An alert Rachel Gaines scooped up the ball and ran it into the try zone to make the score 19-5 for Charles River. To close the second half, Gaines continued to take charge of the Rats’ line, keeping the speedy backs organized and focused on execution and defensive alignment. Likewise, Kara McAuliffe led an aggressive Ratpack with a multitude of hard hits and uncompromising rucks that secured possession for River through the first half and into the second. Leading by example, the veteran McAuliffe, alongside Lupe Thun, powered the Rats’ scrums to success from the second row. McAuliffe would earn Bitch of the Pitch for the forwards after the game.
After the break, the Charles River ladies picked up where they left off. On a lineout to the Rats, the veteran trio of Lisa “Natty” Natalicchio, Chrissy “C” Andronico, and captain Alicia Evangelista, the league’s only jumping prop, gained the ball for River. Through a series of well-maintained possessions by Charles River, the Lady Rats pushed into Shamrock territory. On another excellent transition through scrumhalf Erin Gillespie, Flyhalf Alex Schmidt, and Inside Center Rachel Gaines, the ball came to Maegan Hoover, who punched it through for River. Hoover was the backs’ Star of the Game on Saturday both for her key runs through the middle, and for her spectacular hands, which are consistently the envy of River opposition. Hoover fired the ball out to the wing, where Katy Wilks took it around the outside for her second try of the day.
Despite adverse conditions in the rucks, scrumhalf Erin Gillespie put forth an excellent effort on behalf of the Lady Rats. The veteran Gillespie managed to pull the ball out cleanly for Charles River, facilitating the explosive play that carried River over the Shamrocks. The fourth River try, however, resulted from a line out steal by the Evangelista-Natalicchio-Andronico trio. With the ball secured for the visiting ladies, River’s quick transitional ability again became apparent. Well into the Rats’ own end, winger Julia Messing caught the ball. On a highlight reel run, Messing took the ball up the Rats’ sideline. She ducked around several oncoming Shamrocks, none of which possessed the speed to stop the rushing Messing. Charles River’s number 14 accelerated through the offensive side of the field, then over the twenty-two meter mark, and up the left sideline. Messing did not stop until she reached the Worcester try zone, where she touched down to complete her spectacular run and give her team a 29-5 lead.
Katy Wilks completed her hat-trick, closing the Rat offensive with a long break near the right sideline after a pass from Maegan Hoover in the middle. Wilks, who eluded Worcester tacklers all afternoon, earned an Opposition Star of the Game appointment from the Shamrocks, who begrudgingly admitted their inability to tackle the fleet wing. After another successful Schmidt conversion, the Rats had tallied 36 points to Worcester’s 5. That score would stand as the final.
The ladies of Charles River congratulated themselves on a victory gained through intensity, determination, cohesion and focus. As the spring season culminates at the upcoming NERFU tournament, the Lady Rats look to sustain the fastidious play that they successfully manifested over the course of the game on Saturday.
In a reversal from usual scheduling, the day kicked off with B-side play, where River met a strong Holy Cross squad near the home team’s campus. The River ladies faltered in their alignment and organization against a Crusader team that recognized and seized opportunities left to them by Charles River. The Rats struggled to contain the HC offensive, which included several strong cut-back runs, which were well-supported from behind.
Amidst struggles for the B-side River ladies, Lizzie Chapman had a noteworthy game for CRWRFC. Chapman made her fullback debut in B-side play, challenging Holy Cross with several well-placed kicks. Chapman also ran prolifically, punching through the purple defensive line on numerous occasions. She garnered a B-side Bitch of the Pitch award for her impressive effort in an unfamiliar position. Charles River Captain Alicia Evangelista, who, for lack of prop subs, played in both games on Saturday, was another bright spot in the Rat’s first game. Evangelista and rookie Jess Ingram-Bee took the brunt of the rucking weight, forcing back Crusader defenders while motivating the pack. As River made generous substitutions late in the game, play leveled and the CRWRFC starters began to motivate themselves for the ensuing barrage against Worcester.
As a result of the efforts on the weekend, Charles River now owns a winning record of 3-2. The Lady Rats have scheduled a determined practice set for the week, after which they will host their rivals from Northshore. Charles River will host the visitors at MIT on Saturday. The B-side match against MIT will begin at 9AM; the A-side will battle Northshore at 11.
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