Author: Soo Jin Kim
On Sunday, Feb. 21 Oxy’s female ruggers traveled to Claremont for their fourth game of an incredibly tumultuous season. Although the game ended in a 33-0 loss, the women are confident they can recoup and perform successfully in their next match.
The team’s first game of the year against Cal State Fullerton gave the women an idea of the amount of work a successful season would require. “Fullerton is a big team. Their girls are practically monsters and packing down in the scrum was a little intense,” captain Danielle Siegler (junior) said. “Since it was the first time a lot of people got to play in a game of rugby, we had a sort of wake-up call when it comes to fitness, contact and general field position and awareness.” Notable performances came from Andrea Savage (junior) and Lauren Meyer (sophomore) – each scoring a try during the match. Though the women performed admirably, the day’s match ended in a 32-19 loss.
Since this first match of the new year, members have noted improvement in both team structure and cohesion. “The amount of improvement on the team is remarkable when I recall the beginning of the year and compare it to how we play now,” Lizzy Dutton (first-year) said.
Currently, the team is roughly 28 women strong. With approximately 15 first-years on the team as well as a handful of new players, women’s rugby is finally fielding a good number of players. “We have so many new and excited players, and we’re really starting to get the team in sync and meshed.” Amber Fandel (senior) said. “It should be a great rest of the season because everyone is so dedicated and in love with the game.”
Shortly after the team’s canceled game against UC San Diego, its game against USC was canceled due to weather conditions. Unaware of the situation before they left for USC, the team decided to drive up to Santa Monica to scrimmage in an improvised pitch in the sand. “After the scrimmage, I looked at the sand and it looked as though a bunch of animals had run through it,” said Shylana Roman (first-year). “I’ve never had so much fun on a team before, and I’ve done almost every sport,” she added. This day in the sand was an opportunity for the women to informally test their rugby skills and work on team cohesion.
The team’s game against Claremont was a chance to redeem itself from past matches. “Claremont is a team that has seen us with basically no players,” captain Danielle Siegler (junior) said in an e-mail interview. When the team was pitted against Claremont last year, members of Claremont’s team were borrowed because the Blackshirts didn’t have enough women to field a side. “We went into the second half only having one try scored on us . . . they really only started dominating in the last 20 because they had twice the number of subs to send in,” she added.
In a game so heavily dependent on trial-and-error, a few losses on the field is nothing compared to the experience gained with every match. Every member of the team is simply enjoying the rugby experience with their head held high. “The most amazing part of rugby is the general attitude and mentality that the players (and coaches and fans) have,” Siegler said. “Teams play dirty, people punch and kick you while you’re down . . . but once the final whistle is blown, all things are left out on the pitch and you socialize with the team at a post-game social.”
The women’s rugby team’s next match is an away game against Cal State Fullerton on Sunday, March 7.
Additional reporting by Lizeth Castillo.
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