Beantown edges the Rats in Boston Mud Bowl 2011

Universal Studios could not have provided a more dramatic backdrop for a battle of Boston rugby this past weekend at Moakley Park. The rain eased only sporadically throughout the day, and the churning of pumping legs and spike-shod feet had demolished the pitch well before Charles River stepped onto it for a match against the second side of Beantown. The Orange and Green were hosted by the Blue-and-Red-striped home team, but by the game’s end, both sides donned what would be Boston rugby’s uniform color of the day: mud brown. The Lady Rats rallied themselves for a dazzling effort against a mixed Beantown squad, but in the end, the hosts triumphed, taking the match 17-12.

River was powered by strong personal and team efforts. Aggressive, cohesive defense gave the Rats a charge that produced several opportunities to advance. The veteran front row combination of Prop Jehanne “Juggs” Junguenet, Hooker and Captain Lisa “Natty” Natalicchio, and Prop Alicia Evangelista orchestrated careful ball possession management for River. The trio supported each other very well, keeping close support options during each advance from the Rat Pack. The Green and Orange Flankers both had tremendous games. Danielle “Dollar” McDonagh jumped quickly off the scrums, pressuring Beantown from set play. She made several strong runs on the afternoon, while also tackling with power. Lane Standige, also Flanking the Rat Pack, played a magnificent match for the Green and Orange. Standige tackled and rucked well, ran the ball with finesse, and involved herself aggressively in key defensive plays through both halves. Charles River sparkled in defensive lineouts, with Standige stealing several Beantown throw-ins while jumping. 8-man Jenni Houde, also jumping for River, also captured a Beantown lineout; defensive captures would prove one of River’s major assets during the match. Lock Chrissy “C” Andronico also shined for Charles River. Andronico halted several Beantown advances through the middle, while also providing power and control to the Rat Pack through set plays.

River’s first try would come from Standige, after a scrum to River around the 5-meter mark. The Rat Pack drove the ball down the field on a series of possessions through the Beantown end. Standige would scoop the ball for the last possession, powering over the try zone and touching the ball down through traffic. Alex Schmidt provided the conversion despite the adverse contions, putting River up 7-0. The Rats were able to maintain pressure during much of the first half, with Andronico, Standige, McDonagh, and Junguenet leading the charge. Anne “Wales” Beaumont stretched over the line for the second score after carries from Evangelista and Andronico in the middle.

Among the backs, Schmidt buttressed the line from Fullback with awareness and poise. She saw the field extremely well, running out of tight spots several times for River. With the ball oscillating across the middle of the field, Wings Katy Wilks and Julia Messing made themselves available as an option for the Rat Pack. Both made several carries on the outside, halted by Beantown defense.

In the second half, a resurgent Beantown side took the field against River. Momentum shifted quickly in favor of the home team. Beantown’s power game kicked into high gear after some key substitutions that showcased their club depth. River saw its lead diminish to two points, after Beantown scored twice by the middle of the second half, missing conversions on each in the challenging conditions. River continued to battle, but faced additional adversity after Scrumhalf Erin Gillespie was injured and had to leave the game. Elise Overgaard and Kara McAuliffe added fresh legs in the second row, but the renewal effort was not enough for River, who watched Beantown score one additional try with minutes remaining in the game. After lacing the conversion, a mixed Beantown side took the lead, 17-12. That score would stand as the final. After the game, the captains gave Player of the Game nods to Andronico (forwards) and Schmidt (backs), with recognition also coming to Standige from Beantown.

In B-side play, Beantown tipped the scales in their favor early on, and would ride the momentum for the duration of the game. Newcomers Jess Yu (Scrumhalf) and Alex Hubelbank (Flanker) were strong presences on the field for Charles River. Yu would be recognized by the Charles River Captains as the Back of the Game for the Rats. From the forwards, veteran Whitney McCoy led a pack of fresh River faces. McCoy’s poise and direction kept the Rats focused and united, despite the frustrating weather conditions and barrage of pressure from a mixed Beantown side. Rookie Kristen Mackey and Veteran Kara McAuliffe powered the pack from the first and second rows, respectively. Transition proved difficult from forwards to backs, and much of the play remained among the pack on either side. River saw several talented players from Beantown punch through its defense. Despite a climbing score, River maintained a consistent level of effort in its second game of the afternoon. As the whistle closed, the mud-slathered clubs gathered to shake hands before celebrating a day of Boston Rugby. In addition to Yu, Captains would also recognize Whitney McCoy as a Bitch of the Pitch in River’s second game.

The ladies of Charles River would like to thank Beantown for hosting them for two games and a social last weekend. The Rats will be in action again tomorrow at their home Moakley field against Middlesex. Kickoff is scheduled for 11AM. A B-side match against American International College will follow at 12:30PM. Please join the Orange and Green at their final home games of the spring season!