Charles River Women show strength despite falling in season opener

This past Saturday, Charles River WRFC welcomed the women of Portland WRFC to kick off the Fall season, with the Lady Rats eager to get back on the pitch after along 15s off-season.   A solid squad started off the game with great intensity.  This was a game played in between the 22s, with a lot of the action being dictated from the ruck.  CRWRFC came out with fire for the loose play, controlling our own attacking rucks and spoiling a good deal of action for the visitors’ attack.  However, an aggressive Portland side was able to capitalize on possession inside their 22 and were able to touch down a couple tries before the whistle, leaving the score 17-0 for the away team at the half.

At the kick off the second half, CRWRFC brought new energy and a couple fresh legs in replacement for injuries to a few starters.  This half played out much like the first,  a rucking battle within the 22s.  The second half saw a lot more scrummaging, but hooker Jen Garner and her sub Sara “Easy Mac” MacKenzie and their pack were able to control the put-ins throughout the match.  The Lady Rats’ backs had some great running, but a strong Portland defense made it difficult for Charles River to poke holes and gain ground.  The rucking war raged on throughout the rest of the half, but Portland were able to mark two more tries before the final whistle, with the final score 27-0 in favor of Portland.

It was truly a game that can’t be told by the scoreboard, as the rucking battle was the heart of the match, with CRWRFC dominating a large portion of the rucking play.  There was a lot of promising work from faces new and old and it looks like we are in for some great play to come throughout the rest of the season!

Congratulations to our Bitches of the Pitch, Maria Sedjo (Forward), Ruthie Lewis (Back), and Courtney Allen (Portland’s choice) on your awesome play!

CRWRFC has a bye week next week, but you can come watch us take on North Shore in our next home match on Sept. 26!

 

CRWRFC 0 – Portland 27

CRWRFC Starting 15

1.  Melissa Dunn
2. Jen Garner
3. Meg Murphy
4. Anne “Wales” Beaumont
5. Kate “PK” Condon
6. Maria Sedjo
7. Ari Willet
8. Susan Lackey
9. Jehanne “JugGs” Junguenet
10. Alicia Scahill
11. Ruthie Lewis
12. Val Ernst
13.  Caitlin “Swak” Sawicki
14. Allison Hojsak
15. Courtney Allen

Subs: Sarah “Easy Mac” MacKenzie, Rada Yovovich, Becca Nashett, Stefanie Erickson, Stefanie Wooler, Dominique Lomax, Alex “Z” Zadel