Rugby last unbeaten in NE

Playing their toughest match so far this season, the Middlebury College Rugby Club won a hard-fought match against the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on Saturday with a final score of 39-12. As the competitors represented the final two teams with undefeated records in New England coming into this past weekend, the stakes were high, and both teams brought their best to the pitch.

The Panthers dominated in the scrums, keeping the Coast Guard Bears on their heels despite tough advances from their side, which was evidence of the strength and power of the MCRC. In a game with so much intensity it was no surprise that there were many penalties called on both sides over the course of the afternoon.

“The hard work paid off and we were able to make the tackles on defense and keep possession when we had the ball,” said co-captain Brian Sirkia ’12.5. “That translated into a quick, fast paced attack that put points on the board and staunch defending that kept them from getting over the try line.”

Despite Coast Guard’s fast blitzing defense, the MCRC prevailed. The Bears kept Middlebury from running the ball from their own half like they had become so accustomed to in the last few games, but with some astonishing play from players such as Mike Angelo Pappa ’11 the Panthers kept the upper hand on the score for the entirety of the match.

“Pappa came in and made a real impact by driving his way to score the first try of the game, said Drew Harasimowicz ’11. “It really got the momentum going for the team. He had a great game all around –– a real standout performance.”

Other tries were scored by a list of familiar names who have been pivotal parts of every victory the MCRC has attained: Kennedy “Let’s Go” Mugo ’12, Sam Harrison ’11, Ross Berriman ’12 and Geoff Kalan ’12.5. Sirkia also made a large contribution by hitting four of five conversions on the day, although he only hit two of many penalties.

“It was a big win against one of the top contenders in the Northeast, but we still have a long way to go to accomplishing our goals for the season,” said Sirkia. “The game against St. Michael’s this weekend is just as important, so we’re going to keep putting in the hard work to prepare for them and try to get another win.”

Every week continues to show the development of what is turning out to be an incredibly talented team poised for greatness this year. The MCRC will look to defend their undefeated record at home this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against St. Michael’s College.