Cora McClain | Copy Editor
There was a chill in the air on the drizzly morning of April 13 as Western’s women’s rugby took to the pitch against a team sporting very similar colors to our Wolves. An interview with club president Lexi Osborn after the game cleared up the confusion.
“Eastern cancelled on us Wednesday, so we sent out a mass Facebook post inviting any women ruger (rugby player) in the Oregon area to come out for our seniors’ last home game … most of them are alum,” Osborn explained.
The Alumnae and Wolves faced off for this exciting match. From the first blow of the whistle, the energy between the two teams was palpable, both giving their all. The experience of the alumnae was obvious from their expert passing and pushing against the Wolves as they held their defensive line. However, it couldn’t hold the Alums back from scoring the first try of the game. This was followed shortly by a quick play by the Wolves that won them their first try.
After, the aggressive teams struggled up and down the sideline. Their bodies slammed together, each team pushing as the rain began to pour. The raw power of the Wolves gave them the ability to crawl along the sideline to their next try, making it through the uprights for the extra points, taking the lead. However, the Alumnae retaliated with their fast passing to earn their next try.
This struggle continued as the cheering of supportive fans rang out as the Wolves found a break in the Alumnae’s defensive. Sprinting down the center of the field to a slide through the uprights earned the Wolves their final try for the half. The hard work of each team displayed in the final score of the half, 24-20 Wolves.
The second half saw the teams come back with even more energy than before. A battle that traveled from sideline to sideline ensued, with injuries sustained from both the Wolves and Alumnae as the later pulled ahead with decisive passing and power pushing them into a lead. However, as the clock had 16 minutes left, the teams broke and gathered together into a huddle. Hip-hip-hoorays rang out over the field as the sun peaked out from the clouds.
After the seniors were presented to the crowd of cheering fans, each sporting a crown of flowers, Osborn explained that it was the Wolves’s final home match for the season.
“We wanted to give the seniors a good send-off,” Osborn said. When asked about the future of the club, she explained that half of the team are rookies who started just two weeks earlier.
“We have a lot to learn,” Osborn said. She explained how they were going to have to work on their defense for future games.
The Wolves will be taking to the pitch once again on April 20 to face off against University of Portland.
Contact the author at cmcclain17@wou.edu
Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis
