Shamshock Loss but a Win for Rat Future

On a blustery Saturday in Worcester last weekend, the ladies of Charles River were met a powerful Shamrock squad. The orange and green were bent out of their usual playing strategy early on, and struggled to reestablish themselves in the face of numerous challenges to their regular play style. The Shamrocks came away from the pitch having toppled the Rats 26-5, handing them just their second loss of the fall season. Despite the loss, however, River showcased a promising mix of veteran and rookie talent, as well individual player utility that they will take into their final game this weekend.

Upon the opening kickoff, Worcester immediately began to drive into Charles River territory. Utilizing their size advantage, they powered through River’s middle. The Rats, caught on their heels, struggled to bring their Worcester opponents to the ground as their transitioned through a series of short gains. The Shamrocks touched down their first try after a series of methodical advances through the center of the field. They converted, and went up 7-0. Charles River bounced back after Worcester’s first try, as they struggled to mount some aggressive defensive energy. Maegan Hoover, in at Flyhalf for the day, relieved pressure for River on several occasions, making some well-placed and well-timed kicks. Lizzie Chapman, River’s prodigious rookie Fullback, did the same to help the Lady Rats out of trouble. From a strong base in River’s scrums, River pushed back. Nice pressure in loose play from Molly Desmond and Amanda Martin from the Center spots produced some opportunities for the Lady Rats. Charles River advanced on a series of carries, where the ball passed through the hands of Martin, Chapman, Anne “Wales” Beaumont, and Chrissy “C” Andronico. Despite the promising advance, however, the rats were forced out of bounds and Worcester regained possession. The always-stellar lineout trio of Jehanne “Juggs” Junguenet, Lisa “Natty” Natalicchio, and Forwards captain Alicia Evangelista managed to steal a Worcester lineout, but the Rats failed to capitalize on the effort. Worcester turned up the field, and, after consecutive penalties to Charles River coming out of a mangled ruck set, Worcester mauled the ball into the River try zone and touched it down for their second try. Afterwards, the River ladies again picked up the pressure. Flankers Jess “Jibz” Ingram-Bee and Lane Standige led the charge from the Flanker spots. Despite another definitive possession change on a second lineout steal by Evangelista, River was again unable to capitalize, and finished the half down 0-12.

A revamped River lineup took the field in the second half, and with it, some of the fledgling talent flanking the CRWRFC roster emerged. Newcomer Kate Etcheverry had big shoes to fill while subbing in for Hooker Lisa Natalicchio. Etcheverry performed admirably, adroitly maintaining River possession through scrum play. Lane Standige played a very strong game overall for Charles River in the pack, but was spectacular in the second half. The wiry Standige ran through a defensive line that vastly outsized her on several occasions. She pressured well from the scrum, and assisted in halting Worcester mauls on more than one occasion. She would be Worcester’s pick for Opponents’ Star of the Game as they too recognized her efforts. The consistent mauling game of Worcester would wear River down, however. As the Lady Rats had trouble bringing their Shamrock counterparts to the ground, the larger Worcester team bound and drove down the field with efficiency. After a series of mauls and carries through the middle, Worcester touched down another try, taking a 19-0 lead over Charles River.

Rugby newcomer Maggie Mink showed much promise as she made several nice carries for River, stepping in on the wing. Deirdre Murphy ran consistently in support of River ball carriers. Standige continued her dazzling effort, mixing in hard hits, strong runs, and solid rucking. Nina Romá Agvanian, coming into a reshuffled Ratpack, helped drive a consistent scrum. Young River talent combined with veteran savoir faire to set up River’s first score. Kara McAuliffe, moving from second row to 8-man to replace an injured Andronico, made for a formidable presence on the pitch. McAuliffe laid a series of punishing hits on the Shamrocks, helping to capture some momentum for the Lady Rats. The division’s only Prop-turned-Scrumhalf, Jehanne Junguenet, showed a spectacular versatility that would later earn her the first River “Slashie” Woman of the Match Award, for making an impact as a forward and a back during the game. It was Murphy, though, who would harness the resurgent River energy and take the ball into the try zone for her first score as a Lady Rat. Murphy would also earn a Woman of the Match nod from Captain Evangelista, for a well-rounded effort on the afternoon. Momentum would swing again in Worcester’s favor toward the end of the game, unfortunately. Despite highlights like Junguenet’s quick ball transition and an impressive tackling display from Rookie Krystyna Koz on the wing, the Shamrocks again drove down the field for a try. River would hold up another attempt minutes later, but would finish the game with only one score of their own.

River looks forward to assembling the points of strength from the game this weekend, as well as retuning some strategic points to regain their early momentum. The Lady Rats will close out their season Saturday, October 23^rd, in another Boston rugby battle at Moakley Field. Kickoff against Boston Women’s Rugby is scheduled for 11:30 AM.

Battle of the Bean...town

A colossal clash of Boston women’s rugby was set in dramatic fashion under the lights of Moakley Park’s turf field last Friday night. Charles River hosted the second squad of Beantown for an 8:30 PM match. The teams battled back and forth in a fast-paced, aggressive show during which both sides offered up their bodies and their resolve. In the end, the Beantown ladies topped the Rats by two scores, handing the home team a 22-10 loss, their first of the season.

A torrid pace marked much of the match, alarmingly setting the tone in the early minutes. Despite the plausible advantage of a wide field to River’s speed game, the Beantown forwards tied the ball up relentlessly, keeping a largely pack-to-pack contest through the middle. The Ratpack shined all night, however, standing their ground against a strong Beantown squad with a penchant for maul play. Gains for each side were plentiful, but the contest was marked by long stands and momentum shifts through the center 2/3 of the pitch, making for a rubbery back-and-forth that both sides would sustain almost continually.

The River ladies struck first, after setting the stage with a well-placed kick from Flyhalf Alex Schmidt, followed by a series of short carries involving both River forwards and backs running in support. Jehanne Junguenet, at the start of a very strong evening performance, carried for River. Veteran 8 Chrissy “C” Andronico also made a gain for River, as did Center Maegan Hoover, and Flanker Lane Standige. River rucked consistently and with strength, maintaining an almost unbroken possession string as they pushed into Beantown’s end. River’s fleetfoot Wing Katy Wilks made the final put-down, after the roll over the try line had been a group effort laden with strong forward rucking and skillful ball retrieval from Scrumhalf Erin Gillespie. The Lady rats went up 5-0. The bout heightened as Beantown recoiled from the early River score. Strong kicks from Alex Schmidt and Fullback Lizzie Chapman temporarily dispersed Beantown’s encroachment on the try zone. After a long push down the field, however, the visitors tied the score at five apiece.

Beantown made a push down to the River end again after a series of offside penalties to the Rats. Scrumhalf Erin Gillespie held up a Beantown try attempt, while Lock Whitney McCoy and 8-man Chrissy “C” Andronico halted consecutive mauls. The Ratpack, consistently a force to be reckoned with, wheeled a scrum deep in their defensive end, winning possession back for Charles River. In the face of Beantown’s sustained pressure, Flanker Lane Standige and Inside Center Amanda Martin pressured the Beantown offensive with relentless persistence. Standige and Martin, along with Lock Kara McAuliffe, unleashed several punishing tackles that backed Beantown off the try line. River’s talented hooker Lisa Natalicchio stole Beantown’s put-in on the next scrum, and the kicks of Alex Schmidt and Lizzie Chapman gave the Lady Rats some much-needed breathing room. Through the final minutes of the half, the teams returned to their aggressive contest for ground through the middle. Both squads saw yardage gains and losses. The half ended with the 5-5 tie sustained.

Encouraged by their robust first half, the River ladies took the field with eyes aflame. A series of short gains powered the Lady Rats down the field. Andronico was murderous in her tackling game, barely giving Beantown any room to maneuver. Jehanne Junguenet and Alicia Evangelista set the standard for rucking and ball possession to start the latter part of the match. It was a spectacular individual effort from Outside Center Maegan Hoover, however, that led to Charles River’s second try. Outside the 22-meter marker, Hoover received the ball, approaching the Beantown defense. Hoover punched through the initial line, accelerating in the face of tackling pressure. Executing a brilliant set of stutter-steps and spin moves, she bounced off several Beantown defenders, maneuvering her way through pressure and into the try zone. The ladies in orange celebrated wildly.

With the score 10-5, the teams returned to the battle for ground. Captain Alicia Evangelista continued to foil Beantown’s forward carries though the middle. River’s Flankers, Jess Ingram-Bee and Lane Standige, popped from aside the scrum with exemplary agility, leaving Beantown few strategic options from set play. The Beantown ladies continued to draw the Rats into mauls. McAuliffe, Andronico, and McCoy stood their ground, slowing the advantage. Again, however, Beantown knocked on River’s doorstep. The Rats held fiercely, holding up a Beantown try attempt. A subsequent attempt to kick for points missed the mark for the visitors, and, after a scrum to Beantown on the resulting River knock-on, the Lady Rats wheeled the scrum and regained possession. Pressure mounted far inside the 22-meter mark, until another skillful kick from Schmidt cleared play from the area. Scrappy play elevated the intensity level; both teams saw opportunities brighten and fade. Beantown’s sustained pressure would manifest itself in points, though, when they would finally push through near the center of the pitch. With a conversion to follow, the visitors took the lead, 10-12.

The Rats surged back, and even play continued into the middle of the second half. Possessions were alternatively strung together and broken for either side. McCoy and Andronico again presented a solid rucking game that benefited River. Junguenet made several short carries through the middle, while Colleen Shea, in at Flanker, kept the pressure on from set play. Amanda Martin, a formidable tackling/ball carrying threat all night, held the middle of the line steadfastly. Despite that the game was largely played in the middle of the field, Beantown’s next try came on a break around the outside. River’s defensive aggression through the back line wavered late in the game, and Beantown took advantage. They would score once on a long run around the outside after a break through the middle, and again minutes later on two back-to-back lengthy gains.

The Lady Rats’ efforts never wavered, and they made a push for another score as time dwindled. River ran and popped down the back line from a throw-in past midfield, only to be handcuffed by the sideline. Beantown’s maul attempts were foiled late in the game by River powerhouses Kara McAuliffe and Chrissy “C”Andronico. Despite the shining effort from the pack, coupled with Scrumhalf Erin Gillespie’s unwavering handiwork pulling the ball out, the Lady Rats were unable to capitalize in the final minutes. At the game’s end, Beantown emerged victorious, topping Charles River 10-22.

The River ladies congratulated themselves on a well-played match, sparkling with talent as well as perseverance. Captains Alicia Evangelista and Jenn “JVK” VaKuren recognized the skilled, versatile play of Rookie Lane Standige in the pack. They also lauded Amanda Martin, punisher of ball carriers and purveyor of “the heart of a lion”, as articulated by VanKuren. Beantown recognized Charles River Captain and svelte Prop Alicia Evanglista for being “pound-for-pound the hardest hitter in the league.”

The Lady Rats would like to thank their fans for coming out to support them during this memorable Friday night matchup under the lights. They will travel to Worcester’s Crompton Park this Saturday, to take on the Shamrocks at the foot of the College of the Holy Cross. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00PM.

Right Down the Middlesex

A barnstorming Charles River squad rolled out a 27-0 win on Saturday against Middlesex, taking their undefeated stretch to four games on the season. Despite organizational struggle from the Lady Rats, they banded together, forging the shutout on a waterlogged pitch alongside South Boston’s William J. Day Boulevard. A wide pitch played to the speed game of the orange and green, and, backed by a spine of individual efforts and an overpowering pack in scrum play, the River ladies had enough to take the match.

River came out with pistons firing. Early, they displayed a crisp passing game, elastically drawing Middlesex defenders and popping timely offloads for short gains. Before fifteen minutes had elapsed, a relentless River pack had already stolen three Middlesex scrums. Veteran Hooker Lisa Natalicchio led the charge, pulling the ball back to an immovable Ratpack. Vet Prop Jehanne Junguenet started the scoring for Charles River, touching down the ball after a series of gains made from a penalty. From the penalty spot, power Lock Kara McAuliffe received the ball and broke through the middle. Junguenet, running in support, finished the carry to take the Lady Rats up 5-0. It would be the winning try. Veteran Flyhalf and kicker Alex Schmidt split the uprights for the conversion, and the Rats gathered a seven point lead. River would strike again when Maegan Hoover, as part of a morning performance that would later merit an opponents’ choice for Player of the Game award, broke down the sideline. Hoover evaded all Middlesex tacklers with a combination of quick footwork and speed to the outside. She successfully entered the try zone, cutting to the middle for a 12-0 River touch down.

Bright spots were prevalent but disjointed for the Charles River ladies at the end of the half. Jess Ingram-Bee, starting at Flanker, and Kara McAuliffe, at Lock, set a pedestal-esque standard in the ruck and tackle game. McAuliffe would earn a Player of the Game pick for her efforts, while Ingram-Bee would continue the style of play that earned her a similar nod against North Shore last week. Fullback Lizzie Chapman, also coming off an impressive performance last week, would keep her successful pace against Middlesex, and also earn a Woman of the Match award. Chapman and Wing Katy Wilks would connect several times for long gains down the sidelines. Punishing tackler Amanda Bernasconi, fortifying her brick wall reputation, repeatedly stunned Middlesex ball carriers through the middle. A stolen lineout near the end of the half, orchestrated by the veteran front row trio of Junguenet, Natalicchio, and Alicia Evangelista, resulted in a bid for a second try from Junguenet. She was stopped short, however, and Middlesex managed to push the Rats back.

As time dwindled, plays disconnected for River. The Rat ladies had trouble maintaining ball possession, a situation that found them kicking out of trouble frequently to end the half. Chapman backed the Lady Rats brilliantly, though, trading kicks and chases with Middlesex. She and Schmidt kept Middlesex from scoring, despite a consistent encroachment on River’s try line. The Ratpack, solid through set play all morning, stole a fourth scrum and wheeled another before the half ended. Scrumhalf Erin Gillespie maintained excellent pressure on the opposing #9, leaving little room for Middlesex to set up. McAuliffe and Whitney McCoy powered the pack from the second row. River failed to capitalize on the stalwart scrum play, however, and the 12-0 score was maintained through the half.

Middlesex brought the intensity to start the second half. They immediately pushed River back into their own end, where the Lady Rats held up two consecutive try attempts. Nina Romá Agvanian, in for Junguenet at Prop, relieved some of the pressure when she made a short gain from River’s end before rolling the ball out to speedy Wing Julia Messing. Both sides battled in the early minutes of the half, an advantage stalemate broken by Katy Wilks’s score from around the outside. Forward play began with Rookie Lane Standige, in for Chrissy Andronico at 8-man. Standige made a solid gain before dishing the ball to Amanda Bernasconi, who powered through Middlesex with aggressive running and rucking. Displaying a fine set of support runs, Standige carried for River, as did Chapman. After a series of short gains, the Rats cycled the ball down the back, through Molly Desmond, Hoover, and out to Wilks who covered the remaining distance to put Charles River up 17-0. Minutes later, Standige and Bernasconi again led the way for River among some discord. Bernasconi pressured Middlesex, disrupting any continuity that the opposition might mount. After being tied up in a maul, Standige broke the ball loose for Charles River. Bernasconi was there for a gain. She rolled the ball out to Messing, who unleashed her trademark speed, erupting over Middlesex ground and into the try zone. Despite some missed connections, the River ladies had collected a comfortable 22-0 lead.

New talent proliferated late in the match for the Ladies in the Orange. Newcomers Sarah Franklin and Krystyna Koz both made carries for Charles River, creating opportunities for the home squad. Rookie Kate Etcheverry stepped in at Hooker, while Lane Standige rucked and ran well from the #8 spot, pushing River back into the Middlesex end late. Veteran Kara McAuliffe, capping a noteworthy performance, touched down River’s final try after a few short punches through the middle. By the game’s close, the Rats had earned a 27-0 shutout, and a 4-0 record. McAuliffe and Chapman were recognized by their captains Alicia Evangelista and Jenn VanKuren; Maegan Hoover earned Middlesex’s Player of the Game nod.

The Ladies of Charles River, engaging an epic intra-Boston battle that will prove their toughest to date, will take on Beantown’s second side on Friday under the lights at Moakley Park. Kickoff will be at 8:30PM.

One Rat if by Land, Three Wins through North Shore

Through two years of aggressive, head-to-head competition, the margin of victory in rival bouts between Charles River and North Shore has never totaled more than one score. The Lady Rats broke with recent tradition this past Saturday, jarring the home team with a 19-7 victory on their turf in Lynn. With the win, Charles River avenged last season’s heartbreaking last-minute kick-for-points defeat against North Shore, while also collecting a third consecutive victory en route to an undefeated start to the fall season.

Aligning themselves within the history of heated contests between the two teams, though, Charles River and North Shore seesawed through the first half. Possessions for both teams were alternately maintained and lost as bodies clashed at the gain line, capturing and losing yardage through the opening minutes of the game. Forwards Kara McAuliffe and Jess Ingram-Bee led the aggressive play of the Ratpack early on—McAuliffe hitting North Shore ball carriers hard enough to cause several turnovers, and Ingram-Bee out-rucking North Shore forwards repeatedly to capture possessions for River. The veteran lineout bases Lisa “Natty” Natalicchio and Chrissy “C” Andronico enabled liftee and Captain Alicia Evangelista to steal three of North Shore’s throw-ins early in the first half. North Shore would strike first, though, after a run through the middle coming from a scrum fifteen meters from River’s try line. With a conversion, they would elevate themselves to 7-0 over the Lady Rats.

The green and orange would not cede momentum to their hosts, however. As they volleyed for possession, Charles River funneled North Shore into the tandem of methodical possession maintenance and quick transition that has buoyed them over their opponents this fall. Fullback Lizzie Chapman, Outside Center Maegan Hoover, and Wing Katy Wilks interlaced several times on the outskirts of the field, passing and gaining yardage for Charles River in loose play. North Shore pressed into River’s end again after consecutive penalties to the Rats. But the Rats’ stalwart defensive efforts, led by aggressive pressure from Flankers Jess Ingram-Bee and Colleen Shea, enabled River to halt the North Shore attack. Breeding offensive opportunity from defensive stoicism, River seized an opportunity for advance. Inside Center Amanda Martin exploded through North Shore’s line, after receiving the ball from the fleet Julia Messing. Martin, off to the races, outpaced all that attempted to catch her. She placed the ball down directly between North Shore’s uprights, bringing the Rats to within two points. On the strength of Flyhalf Alex Schmidt’s conversion effort, River tied the game.

It was a spectacular communicative effort that began the momentum shift late in the second half. Rat forwards and backs signaled and found each other from rucks and scrums, as well as running through loose play. Scrumhalf Erin Gillespie and Flyhalf Alex Schmidt cycled the ball smoothly out to the back line, who passed and sped forward fluidly. 8-man Chrissy “C” Andronico jumped into River’s speed game with ease, as did Fullback Lizzie Chapman. Leigh Wilson, stepping into a back line shuffled after a substitution, made some strong gain for the Rats late in the half. As the referee’s whistle sounded, River’s edge was becoming apparent.

North Shore, who had displayed an aggressive kicking game in the first half, continued to send the ball over the heads of encroaching Charles River defense in the latter part of the game. Fullback Lizzie Chapman, in the middle stages of an impactful performance, was equal to the task. Chapman captured multiple North Shore offerings, returning them to the opponents’ territory. North Shore would threaten again in the second half after recovering a kick that trickled behind the River defensive line. A successful strip from Leigh Wilson, though, foiled the attack, and Captain Alicia Evangelista’s rucking efforts maintained the ball. Outstanding pressure from Jess Ingram-Bee and Amanda Martin would catalyze an opportunity for Charles River. The Rats broke open the deadlocked score when Chrissy “C” Andronico touched down a try on a gain advanced by the efforts of Wilks, Chapman, and Hoover. With the sure-footed Alex Schmidt again converting, the Rats saw their first lead of the game increase to 14-7.

While the momentum scales had been begrudgingly tipping to River’s fortune, Andronico’s try catalyzed the shift. The Lady Rats left North Shore little breathing room in the second half. Scrumhalf Erin Gillespie suffocated her North Shore counterpart coming off the scrums. Jess Ingram-Bee and Leigh Wilson, Flanking the pack, both knocked balls loose on hard hits to North Shore runners, as did Lock Kara McAuliffe. Center Maegan Hoover and Fullback Lizzie Chapman utilized a skillful kicking game to drive the opposition back from gaining yardage. With talented Hooker Lisa Natalicchio stealing North Shore possessions in the scrum as well, River transitioned quickly and rolled back toward the try line. On three separate occasions, The Rats pushed into the North Shore try zone, only for the referee to rule the ball held up. Not yielding to frustration, the Ratpack, powered by McAuliffe and Whitney McCoy in the second row, maintained possession. Wing Katy Wilks, on the outside, finally touched down a try that could not be denied, and River took a 19-7 lead that would stand as the final. The win again showcased a spectacular depth of talent running rampant though the Charles River Roster. While utilizing all of their substitution options, River displayed continuity in skill and momentum

After the game, Captains Alicia Evangelista and Jenn “JVK” VanKuren recognized the outstanding play of Jess Ingram-Bee and Leigh Wilson. Ingram-Bee had been relentless in the Flanker spot all morning. Wilson, who unfortunately suffered a knee injury late in the game, had been a key utility go-to for the Rats, performing admirably as both a back and a forward. North Shore recognized the unremitting efforts of Chrissy “C” Andronico, who had been a power runner in River’s short game, as well as being an unfaltering presence through breakdown play. An excited River squad celebrated the victory, which carried them to a 3-0 record. The Lady Rats will welcome Middlesex to their home Moakley Park in South Boston this coming Saturday. Kickoff is tentatively scheduled for 11:00AM.