Women's Rugby Rules New England Penalty Kick Seals 3-0 Win in Overtime Thriller

Author: Peter Yordan

In a stirring show of force and perseverance the Middlebury women's rugby team overcame injury, stormy weather, determined opponents and the burden of an up-and-down regular season to win their first ever New England Championship at MIT this weekend. After a convincing 10-0 win over the University of Maine - Farmington, the Panthers needed a last gasp penalty kick to win a thrilling 3-0 overtime victory over Worchester Polytechnic in order to secure the title and advance to Regionals this weekend at UMASS-Amherst. Even more importantly, with the victory Middlebury qualified to become a full time member of the elite Division II national rugby conference.

The Panthers picked an opportune time to find their momentum. A month ago the squad was 2-2 and the playoffs were very much in doubt. It took a pair of gut-check victories over Keene State and Castleton in the Panthers' last two regular season games to see the team through to New Englands, where much to their surprise they were awarded the number one seed. The squad was not about to let their newfound ranking lead to overconfidence, however. "We knew we had the one seed, but since it's rugby and it's a new game, anything can happen, so we didn't want on prestige to win us anything," said Kate Nerenberg '05.

First on the horizon was the University of Maine - Farmington, a big, physical team nearly unknown to the Panthers. Middlebury quickly set about turning Farmington's strength advantage into a weakness, using their superior speed and technical skill to grind down their opponents on route to a powerful 10-0 win. "We were a better coached team with better athletes," said Nerenberg. "We went into it pretty confident we could win." Relying on speedy wing play from Trilby Reeve '05 and Joannah Opot '05, the Panthers were able to outflank the soon-winded Mainers again and again. Field Captain Katy Hoeschler '04 powered in with a try in the first half to give the team a 5-0 lead as Middlebury dominated possession. The Panthers doubled the scoreline on a Reeve try in the second half and then relied on stalwart defense to keep their hapless adversary at bay until time expired.

The team had little time to congratulate itself on its impressive performance, however, as Middlebury had to turn around and face off against a determined Worchester Polytechnic Institute side in the tournament final the very next day. "It was tough," said club President Devin Green '04, "we were all really sore and we knew that the team we would be playing was going to be a lot harder to beat." The Panthers were also without Green herself, whose scratched cornea forced her to the sidelines. On the line too was a critical promotion to Division II athletics for the program, a move that would push the squad into a whole new universe of competition. Middlebury would need to pull together another commanding performance to carry the day.

The game that followed, however, went beyond anyone's expectations. "I've never been a part of any game that was so even, it was really, really tough," said Green. "It was so intense, with all of the parents and the fans. Even people who weren't rooting for one team or the other were really impressed by how even the two teams were." Through 80 brutal minutes the two sides fought back and forth in a vain but determined attempt to score. "You could hardly hear your teammates screaming, it was so loud," said Nerenberg of the atmosphere on the field. "We definitely had a lot of confidence. We just knew that if we did all the little things right and played as a team we could come out on top."

Unable to score, however, Middlebury was forced to put its season on the line in overtime. The Panthers desperately worked to hold themselves together as WPI began to crack and bicker under the pressure. Yet still the game went on through two overtime periods without a breakthrough on either side. The game seemed destined for penalty kicks when Middlebury was awarded a crucial penalty kick two minutes from the end. That unenviable task fell to Nerenberg, who had missed an easier kick earlier in the game. "I was pretty frustrated and tired and I just wanted the game to be over," said Nerenberg. "I tried to kick it just like in practice." With the tension ratcheted up still higher, the team watched as Nerenberg's shot rose through the uprights. "It was scary, we were pretty nervous," said Green. The minute she scored everyone just erupted. I've never been so excited in my life." The Panthers held on for two more endless minutes until the final whistle blew, leaving the team to collapse on Nerenberg in a pile of joy and relief.

The horizon suddenly seems bright for a women's program that has long languished in the shadow of the dominant men's rugby team. Middlebury now heads off to UMASS-Amherst for the Northeastern Regional Tournament. "We're just expecting to go out and play our best no matter who we play," said Green. "The worst thing in the world is just to walk off the field knowing you didn't play your best."

Even more importantly, the New England victory qualified the team to become a member of Division II rugby, an important step in the development of women's rugby at the College. "We have always played up to our competition," said Nerenberg. "I have confidence that we'll be able to make a statement in Division II, and it's really a great step for our program."