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.
No comments:
Post a Comment