River Surprises DII Burly Girls

Charles River handily upset their Division II visitors from Burlington last weekend at their home Moakley Park, with a sound 39-0 win. The blazing River offense put up seven tries against their higher-division opponents, while holding the Vermont visitors scoreless. The victory brought Charles River to 5-0 overall, with a 4-0 divisional record. The green and orange have amassed 144 points during the fall season, while allowing only 12 points against to their opposition.

The early moments of the game remained evenly matched between squads. Burlington relied heavily on their forwards to make progress with the ball, while River stoutly held their defense against a larger team. The gridlock was broken at 17:30 into the match, when Prop Chrissy “C” Andronico wove through the outside quarter of the field, before popping to Wing Katy Wilks. Wilks broke up the sideline, making a sharp cut in to avoid two defenders, throwing a stiff arm, and breaking through to the try zone.

River would roll on the momentum for the rest of the match. Despite, as ever, being outweighed, the Ratpack was tremendous in set play, retaining each of the Charles River scrums, while stealing one from Burlington. Locks Sabrina Neuman and Kara McAuliffe anchored a tight scrum, and the agile Lane Standige rolled off the back several times for substantial River gains.

The River backs threaded the ball beautifully all match, anchored by the quick-thinking Captain Jenn “JVK” VanKuren at Flyhalf. Amanda Martin teamed with Molly Desmond through the middle; both moved the ball well, providing opportunities for Wilks and Julia Messing on the outside. VanKuren would have an outstanding game for River, touching down two tries including the game’s second, and another, featuring a chip kick over the Burlington defense. VanKuren recovered her own kick before sprinting past the try line on an impressive personal effort.

The ever-threatening Danielle “Dollar” McDonagh at Flanker formed a formidable trio with 8-man Lane Standige and Linda Morris. The three exploded from set plays, and wove through the Burlington line in loose play. Prop Jehanne “Juggs” Junguenet represented herself as a formidable foe in rucks throughout the match. Junguenet singlehandedly captured several balls for River with her alert and agile defense. She ran with agility as well, earning herself one try after a series of phases through the forwards in the first half, and another after a lengthy River possession late in the second half.

Formidable pack Rats Whitney McCoy and Rookie Julie Trautwein made a seamless transition in the second half, holding the Burlington forwards back and handily maintaining possession for River. With added tries from Fullback Alex Schmidt, the self-orchestrated kick and chase from Van Kuren, and Junguenet’s second, River had amassed six scores by late in the second half. With Schmidt lacing conversions on each of VanKuren’s tries, and the Ratpack touching down a seventh and final try at the 80:00 minute mark, the Lady Rats earned themselves the 39-0 victory.

Charles River would like to thank the ladies of Burlington for making the long trip down during the bye week for the match. River would also like to thank their loyal fan base, including the River Old Girls, who came to support them this past Saturday. The Lady Rats would also like to thank Stadium Bar & Grill of Old Colony Road in South Boston for hosting the post-game social. Charles River will don their trademark orange jerseys one final time this season, while traveling to New Hampshire Saturday October 15, to face Amoskeag. Kickoff is scheduled for 1PM.

Lady Rats leave Monsoons Weathered

The orange and green-clad ladies of Charles River pulled out a 66-0 shutout against former club rival North Shore Women’s Rugby on October 1^st. On yet another rainy, muddy fall Saturday, the Rats gathered at Moakley Park before a sparse crowd of resilient fans. River scored early and often, with Inside Center and former team MVP Amanda Martin leading the charge with three tries. The Ratpack was indomitable, led by the veteran front-row trio of Chrissy “C” Andronico, Captain Lisa “Natty” Natalicchio and Jehanne “Juggs” Junguenet. Despite a marked size advantage in the pack, North Shore was unable to gain much momentum in the face of the technically-superb River scrum. Second rows Kara McAuliffe and Jordan Ciciliano dug in, allowing little wiggle room for the North Shore push. McAuliffe would punch in two tries on the afternoon as well.

Charles River’s loose forwards have made names for themselves throughout the division this season, and the North Shore match bred no exception. The hard-hitting Flankers Danielle “Dollar” McDonagh and Susan Lackey punished ball carriers, while making aggressive advances themselves. Number 8 Lane Standige played a tremendous game, orchestrating the River scrum from the back, running with authority, and playing aggressive defense. Standige, liftee in the River lineouts, also stole several of North Shore’s throw-ins, forcing key possession changes.

River newcomer Julie “Traut” Trautwein made a strong showing from the pack, turning heads with her aggressive tackles and impenetrable defense. And Cassie Cox, gaining momentum each week after returning from a knee injury, showcased sharp running and tackling skills. With the stellar forward-back combination and spot-on kicking of Alex Schmidt, River amassed a 66 point total, boosting themselves to 4-0 on the season. The real headline, though, continues to be the Charles River defense, which has allowed only 12 points against through four matches played. After facing North Shore, River looks forward to a bye week, with a scheduled match against Burlington.

River Upsets Worcester in Injury Time

The Charles River Women’s Rugby Football Club secured an upset single-score victory over new D-III rivals Worcester this Saturday on the Shamrocks’ home turf. On an extremely humid day at the foot of Mount Saint James, the Rats’ Amanda Martin took the final carry of a long string of River possessions over the try line in injury time. The score, the only one of the match for either team, catapulted River to a 3-0 record and first place in their division, under the tutelage of head coach Jessica Balogh and assistant coach and master statistician Hal Baker.

On an overcast day in The Woo, the stage was set for an epic defensive battle between the reigning NERFU DIII champion Rats, and the Shamrocks, down from DII for the first time. Both teams traded ineffective blows in the first half. Play teetered through the middle of the field as forwards punched through the middle without large gains. Back play was largely stifled on either side. River had trouble getting the ball out to the wing. The Shamrocks attempted to run tight loops with the Flyhalf, but the Charles River defense kept a nearly impenetrable line. The play remained evenly matched through the majority of the first half. Flankers Linda Morris and Danielle “Dollar” McDonagh, for their part, pressured Shamrock ball carriers without hesitation. By the end of the half, though, both teams began to tire. Pressed back inside their 22-meter mark, Charles River wavered. The well-placed kicks of veteran Flyhalf Alex Schmidt, though, relieved the pressure on multiple occasions in the last minutes. Both teams retired at the sound of referee Neil Foley’s whistle for the break, scoreless.

The second half was a different story for Charles River. The Lady Rats dominated nearly the entirety of play, knocking on Worcester's doorstep several times while maintaining the vast majority of ball possession through the second forty minutes. The Ratpack continued the outstanding play that would later pay off for the green and orange; they were perfect in scrum play on the afternoon. The Rat forwards retained all 21 of their scrums while stealing two from Worcester as well. They lost the ball only after being wheeled by the Shamrock pack. In loose play, too, the Ratpack impressed: in the second half River retained 26 of 34 rucks, while winning or poaching the ball 8 times from Worcester. 8-man Lane Standige was outstanding in lineouts, stealing every Worcester through in the second half. Defensively, River's back line continued its impenetrable ways. The Rat backs attempted several switches and crashes though Worcester's line with little success, but helped push play steadily back into the Worcester end. Where Worcester countered, Alex Schmidt relieved the pressure, lacing big gains for River from penalty kicks up the sidelines and loose play. Wings Cassie Cox and Katy Wilks swallowed up the outside, and the Shamrocks were unable to use the sideline for substantial gains.

Regulation ticked away, and the teams battled into injury time. Charles River would not be denied by the DIII newbies, though. In the eighty-fourth minute, well into injury time, Prop Chrissy “C” Andronico picked the ball from a well-formed loose ruck from Kara McAuliffe and Jehanne “Juggs” Junguenet. Scrumhalf Captain Jenn “JVK” VanKuren popped the ball out to Flyhalf Alex Schmidt, who pivoted out to Inside Center Amanda Martin. Martin punched the ball through traffic before dishing to Outside Center Sarah Wetherbee. Wetherbee carried through several Worcester players until being tackled, rising and re-scooping the ball, and passing out to Wing Cassie Cox. Martin, recovering, looped in support of Cox, who popped the ball under pressure. Martin punched over the try line, already on borrowed time, and River celebrated wildly. Alex Schmidt, continuing her impressive afternoon, threaded the uprights for the conversion. Worcester kicked back to River, who steadied play for the remaining time. It was Schmidt, again, who would alertly kick the ball into touch as the extra time expired, sealing the victory for Charles River.

The inspirational last-second victory boosted Charles River to a 3-0 division record, against a difficult opponent in Worcester. River players of the game were Alex Schmidt from the backs and Danielle “Dollar” McDonagh from the forwards. Worcester selected Wing Katy Wilks as their visitor's choice. River would like to congratulate these ladies, as well as thanking Worcester for hosting them at Crompton park, and for another creative “Canadian Tuxedo”-themed social. The Rats look forward to coming matches against North Shore, Burlington, and Amoskeag.