The Charles River Lady Rats, sporting a revamped lineup and a new coach, were edged out by Division II opponent Seacoast this past weekend at their home Moakley Field. With the wind swirling off Carson Beach across the street, the opponents kicked off at 11AM. River came out quickly, wheeling an early scrum for possession and then charging into Seacoast territory. After the retreating visitors committed an infraction inside their own 22-meter, Anne “Wales” Beaumont took a quick-tap penalty into the try zone, stretching out for the first score. Lane Standige laced the conversion kick between the uprights, and River took an early 7-0 lead.
Play continued quickly through the first half, as River orchestrated a series of pick-and-go plays, but had trouble maintaining possession. Wing Julia Messing broke along the edge during a promising play, on the strength of some strong rucking by Jess “Jibz” Ingram-Bee and Beaumont. Newcomer Danielle “Dollar” McDonagh played a strong half at flanker, pressuring Seacoast quickly off of scrum play. Scrumhalf Erin Gillespie played aggressively throughout the match, getting involved in all facets of the game from the 9 position. Seacoast, nearing the end of the first half, jumped on some clunky River transitions, breaking through to push the Rats back into their own half. On a play that mirrored River’s first try, Seacoast answered on a series of plays that stemmed from a penalty awarded deep in the Charles River end. To add injury to injury, darting River Flanker Jess “Jibz” Ingram-Bee suffered a season-ending knee injury. Rookie Elise Overgaard entered the game to fill the spot. With the score tied at 7 apiece, the sides pushed back and forth, neither capitalizing further before adjourning at the half.
After the recess, Seacoast came firing. Some skilled work from the #9 and the centers led to some quick gains coming into Charles River territory. Finding themselves on the heels for a sustained period, the Lady Rats rallied to hold the Seacoast offensive. In the end, though, the visitors punched through for the score, taking the lead 12-5 and missing a conversion. Center Amanda Martin was strong on her feet through the second half, punching short gains and rucking for both forwards and the back line. Rookie Jenni Houde sharply pulled down a Charles River lineout that sparked quick transition for the Green and Orange. Perennially reliable Prop Alicia Evangelista ran in constant support of her Rat Pack compatriots making gains on pick-and-go plays.
With Seacoast pressuring once again in the second half, River made a strong stand deep in their zone. After winning a scrum, Fullback Lizzie Chapman cleared the ball and allowed River to collect themselves. In the ensuing minutes, the Rat Pack maintained a series of possessions to drive Seacoast back. After a successfully wheeled scrum and strong rucking by Danielle “Dollar” McDonagh, Lane Standige and Jehanne “Juggs” Junguenet, River appeared to be regaining some momentum. River made some late substitutions, hoping that fresh legs would further spark resurgence. However, a series of long breaks from Seacoast positioned the visitors in prime territory to pad their lead. They quickly extended over the try line, adding two points after for a score of 19-7. The feisty Rats, once again, regrouped to make a bid for the Seacoast line. Fullback Lizzie Chapman broke through Seacoast for a large gain toward the outside. She dished to wing Julia Messing, who gained meters for the Lady Rats before Newcomer Miranda Wakimoto, running in support, took the ball into the try zone for her first Charles River score. River had recaptured momentum, but with only a few minutes remaining on the clock. The Lady Rats were unable to muster a quick try, and fell to their higher-division opponents, 19-12.
The Charles River Captains, Jenn “JVK” VanKuren and Lisa “Natty” Natalicchio, recognized Danielle “Dollar” McDonagh as Forward player of the game, for her aggressive and dynamic play during her inaugural match in a Rats uniform. VanKuren and Natalicchio also recognized inside center Amanda Martin for her crafty ball carrying and versatility rucking and tackling. Seacoast acknowledged River scrumhalf Erin Gillespie, who aggressively involved herself in nearly every play throughout the match.
In B-side action, Charles River boasted a showcase of rookie and veteran talent. After kicking off against Boston neighbors Wentworth Institute of Technology, the Rat B-side unleashed a combination of speed, quick transition, and tackling power that their visitors could not match. Rookie Flyhalf Miranda Wakimoto, who would play an outstanding match for River, started the scoring early on a support run that saw her cutting through the defensive line after receiving the ball. Newcomer Jordan Ciciliano made the conversion kick, and the Rat Bs went up 7-0. A strong series of gains by the Rat Pack, led by Rookie Alex Hubelbank and veteran Kara McAuliffe, allowed the Rats to push inside the WIT 5-meter mark. WIT managed to hold up two try attempts before clearing the ball out.
The back line looked sharp for River throughout the match—Flyhalf Wakimoto connected with inside center Sarah “Bee” Wetherbee, who was returning from a year-long absence after a knee injury. The two worked well inside, and also transitioned smoothly to outside center and former Holy Cross superstar Molly Desmond, who punched several carries through the middle. Rookie Jordan Lavy played a tremendous game at scrumhalf, getting the ball out of scrums with speed and precision. It was Lavy’s quick lineout play that sparked a bounding Charles River up field, in a series that would lead to another try by Wakimoto. Wakimoto nearly had added third only minutes later, but it was ruled that the ball was not controlled in the try zone. Rat vet Andrea Polcaro would pick up the missing points, however, touching down a try to end the second half. Ciciliano again converted, and the River Bs hit halftime with a 19-0 lead.
Charles River continued the aggressive attack through the second half. The backs displayed speed and finesse, with Wakimoto, Wetherbee, and Desmond connecting through the line. Rugby newcomer Jill Scalf, playing in her first match, made several carries on the wing for the Green and Orange. From the pack, Alex Hubelbank exploded through WIT for a try early in the second. Newcomer Sarah “Apples” Appleton threaded the uprights for the conversion. Defensively, River stood its ground against a WIT offensive to the 22. Lavy picked the ball quickly to relieve pressure, and River regained momentum through a series of bursts that eventually resulted in a try by rookie Jen Garner out of the pack. Appleton again converted the kick. The Lady Rats kept the pressure on, punching through for one more try by Wakimoto at the match’s end.
The Charles River captains recognized Alex Hubelbank and Sarah ‘Bee” Wetherbee for their strong play during the B-side match. WIT chose scrumhalf Jordan Lavy as their selection for player of the game. River celebrated a strong inaugural game presented by the fresh faces of the future of the Orange and Green.
Charles River would like to thank Seacoast Women's Rugby and Wentworth for joining them in match play and socialling this past weekend. The Rats would also like to thank the fans who supported them during their season opener. Charles River will be back in action tomorrow against perennial rival North Shore, tomorrow morning at Moakley Park in South Boston. Kickoff is scheduled for 11AM. A B-side match against Amoskeag will follow at 12:30PM. Post-game social will be at Stadium Bar & Grill, 232 Old Colony Avenue, South Boston.
