Gulls First Flight Ends in 7s Tournament Victory

Ashland, N.H. - Despite wet conditions in Ashland, N.H., the Endicott rugby program continued to develop with the women’s team playing their first competitive games in the Plymouth State 7’s tournament. The team ended their day 1-1, but notched their historic first win in their first competitive game with a 10-5 win over Hartford before falling in a hard fought battle 0-15 to Plymouth State.

Endicott 10 – Hartford 5

The mid-day kick off saw the women’s team make their competitive rugby debut and it was soon apparent that they were making the most of the occasion.  Sophomore Ceilli Rose (Waltham, Mass.) and junior Ruby Wallace-Ewing (Orono, Maine) made big gains early on setting the tone for the afternoon. Ferocious hitting from both sides meant that the scoring opportunities were few and far between, as tenacious tackling got the better of any attacking play. Endicott threatened to break away after a massive tackle from senior Becky Lehrman (Chicago, Ill.) forced the turnover, and freshman Katie Page (Salem, N.H.) dished the ball to junior Erica Hamilton (Bedford, Mass.) who went flying down the wing, but a huge hit forced her out of bounds at the Hartford 25 meter line.

Resilient tackling by freshman Grace Grieco (East Orleans, Mass.) allowed Page to break the deadlock late in the first half, as junior Sierra Kenkel (Kalispell, Mont.), who controlled the flow of the game, found the Endicott scrum-half with a yard of space, and let Page do the rest, racing down the sideline for the first Endicott try in school history. Hartford hit back soon after with a try of their own, meaning that the sides went into the break tied at 5-5.

The second half progressed the same way as the first, with physical play dominating the game. Lehrman and Kenkel continued to force Hartford onto the back foot, with Hamilton and Page probing the line with half-breaks. It was Hamilton who secured the win for the Gulls, as she intercepted an errant Harford pass and raced 20 meters for the score. The last few minutes saw the Hartford attack camped on the Endicott try line, but stout tackling from senior Caitlin Norman (Lancaster, Mass.) and a hook against the head by sophomore Nikki Athas (Tyngsboro, Mass.) secured the ball as time ran out.

Plymouth State 15 – Endicott 0

The going was tougher against a tough Plymouth State team who were vastly more experienced at the abridged form of the game. Despite that, the Endicott team constantly fought and battled. Again, Lehrman was the catalyst, constantly pushing the home side back with her rampaging runs. Page and Kenkel continued to dart and weave but through great tackling and work in the loose, the gap was never quite big enough for a breakaway. Wallace–Ewing came closest to scoring after being shipped a smart pass from Hamilton, but was brought down just short of the line.

Two quick scores by Plymouth, one either side of the break, meant that the Endicott team wouldn’t continue their dream start, but they continued to work hard. Senior Lauren Maggoli (Revere, Mass.) and sophomore Amanda Smart (Douglas, Mass.) made great defensive plays in quick succession before Plymouth scored their final try. The Gulls maintained their poise as great phase ball from junior Brittany Buma (Whitinsville, Mass.) and freshman Taylor Drake (Essex Junction, Vt.) found junior Suellen Heath (Gympie, Australia) racing down the sideline, but Plymouth State’s winger forced her out of bounds as time expired.