Last weekend the Plymouth State women’s rugby team traveled across the country to play in the Division Two national championship at Stanford University in California. The girls came prepared and confident to play UC Santa Cruz, especially after seeing them play two weeks earlier at semi-finals in Florida.
Plymouth State was again considered to be the underdog, but it didn’t phase them. They came out to play their hearts out, prepared to leave everything on the field. For the seniors this would be their last collegiate rugby game, and they were ready to give it their all.
The game began at 10 a.m. with Plymouth’s kick off. The game started out rough, with each team fighting to keep the ball out of their try zones and off their side of the field. The first half definitely looked to be a kicking game for both sides, but Santa Cruz’s fly half scored off the line and converted her own kick for an early 7-0 lead. Plymouth tried to come back against their unique offensive strategy, but Santa Cruz scored again using the same play.
This was the first time all season Plymouth had been down by so many points, but they refused to give up to the fighting Banana Slugs of California. Plymouth got its first goal of the game when Jenny Larochelle got a pass off of a line-out and sprinted into the try zone to strike back. Unfortunately, the comeback didn’t last long, as Santa Cruz answered with three and a half minutes left in the first half, earning another try to take a 17-5 lead.
After a much needed water break and pep talk from coach Spencer Dickinson, Plymouth came back hard and made a pact not to let the Banana Slugs back into their try zone. However, Santa Cruz once surprised Plymouth again, having a forward play run result in one final try. Plymouth knew they were down but not out, and kept fighting until the last minutes of the game even after the game was out of reach. Jenny Larochelle added one last score for Plymouth with her second try of the game, but it wasn’t enough as Santa Cruz came away with the victory.
Although Plymouth’s championship hopes were dashed, they are proud of the work they accomplished in the season. The seniors and their efforts won’t be forgotten, and they won’t soon forget how they made it to the 2006 Nationals in California. The juniors, now that they’ve gotten this far, are hungry for another chance to win next year, while the sophomores are ready to keep learning about the game and work hard for the next two years. As for the freshman, they are unknowingly fortunate to be on this team, and will be ready to set an example of what Plymouth rugby is next time around.
Plymouth also had support from faculty this weekend when science professor Mark Turski traveled down to support the girls in their road to the national title.
“I’ve seen a lot of great rugby teams in my time, and [these] women are by far the best I’ve seen,” said Turski. “Maybe not the most talented, athletic, or accomplished but the way [they] come together and work as a team is what makes [them] great, and that is what makes me so proud of what [they’ve] accomplished.”
With these inspirational words, the Plymouth State Women’s Rugby team went home not upset with their defeat, but proud for there is only one Division II team in the nation that can beat out Plymouth State.
Plymouth State Women’s Rugby, wishes to thank all of its sponsors and supporters for donating the time and money to make this trip possible. They would also like to thank their coach, Spencer Dickinson, for teaching them the skills they needed to get there. Thanks also goes out to alumni and players who couldn’t be there for setting the path with their wisdom and guidance, and finally a special thanks to Plymouth State for providing the staff that helped get Women’s Rugby on its way!