Lady Panthers (UWM) Record First League Victory in 74 – 0 Shutout over Iowa State

The Lady Panther Rugby Football Club at UWM recorded their first Midwest Division I League victory on the road at Iowa State University this Saturday. This is only the second meeting between ISU and the Lady Panthers. In their first meeting, ISU defeated the Lady Panthers 19-17 to advance to the 2008 Midwest Division 1 Final Four. The Lady Panthers now stand 1-2 in League Play and are ranked nationally as Division 1 #9 by Alex Goff (formerly eRugbyNews.com) of Rugby Magazine (rugbymag.com). The Lady Panthers’ two losses were at the hands of National #7 University of Northern Iowa and National #8 Eastern Illinois University.

As dawn broke over the amber waves of Central Iowa, the bleak grey skies and biting cold promised a difficult day of rugby. Any moisture in the air crystallized into snow flurries that collected at the corners of buildings and on car windshields. The steady winds of the central great plains kept the snow flurries aloft as the Lady Panthers marched toward the field of play…all an incredible dichotomy from the extremely humid 77 degree weather in which the Lady Panthers faced Eastern Illinois just two weeks prior.

The match kicked off at 10:20 a.m., and to the chagrin of the Lady Panthers, it was apparent that Iowa State was ready to play. Iowa marched into Lady Panther territory from a lineout and looked to strike early. Lady Panther fullback Mollie Martin (Burnsville HS RFC, MN) covered the field to make the tackle near the Panther’s own 22m. The Panthers managed to poach the ball from the breakdown but were run into touch by the Iowa State defense.

Iowa State’s lineout missed its mark and the Panthers looked for an attack on the turnover. However the exchange between Panther inside Center Tina Gill (DSHA RFC, WI) and Panther outside center Maggie Reidy (DSHA RFC, WI) was well forward and Iowa State was awarded a scrum 20 meters out in front of the right post. And things just got worse as the Lady Panthers were penalized for barging and Iowa State awarded a free kick for the infringement.

The Panthers dodged a bullet as the ISU Free Kick was taken directly to touch and the Lady Panthers were awarded the lineout at the 20 meter instead of the 5 meter mark. The Panthers’ Caila Ney secured the lineout and set the maul to keep the defense honest. The attempt to clear-kick from Panther fly half Lindsey Fickau (Vernon U-19, WI) failed to make touch, but the ISU wing knocked on the catch giving the Panthers a scrum in more comfortable territory.

The Lady Panthers won the scrum, but ISU turned over the ball after two phases. ISU sent the ball wide left, but the ISU outside center knocked-on before any ground could be gained. From the restart scrum, the ISU scrumhalf was able to create enough havoc to force a turnover from the exchange between Lady Panther No. 8 Kati McCormick (Kettle Moraine U-19, WI) and scrumhalf Brittany Houston (Vernon U-19, WI). Fortunately for the Panthers, ISU was penalized for diving over at the breakdown and the Panthers took advantage with a quick-tap sending the ball out to fullback Mollie Martin who took the ball into three ISU defenders without looking for the pass out to uncovered Panther wing Sam Bruni (Vernon U-19, WI). Fortunately prop Julia Thorne (DSHA RFC, WI) arrived to cleanup Martin’s near turnover.

Thorne’s driving run set up ball-in-hand for No. 8 Kati McCormick, drawing the ISU defense then offloading to open flanker Caila Ney. As Ney scampered for the goal line, she was dragged down by the ISU defense. But the Lady Panther run support was overwhelming as lock Aimee Uher, wing Sam Bruni, tighthead prop Corin Jensen (Madison Militia U-19, WI), scrumhalf Brittany Houston, and hooker Theresa Trott were all available. Ney’s offload pass found Houston on the run who shook off the last ISU defender to touch down at 5:58. Houston’s conversion attempt into the steady Iowa wind at 6:45 was no good, and the Panther lead held at 5 – 0 going into the 7th minute of play.

The restart kick was just a bit too high for Panther No. 8 Kati McCormick. The ball was gathered deep by fullback Mollie Martin who displayed nice evasive running through to the 22m. Possession was secured at the ruck by hooker Theresa Trott and blindside flanker Meghan Hausman. Kati McCormick looked to take ball-in-hand with Panther lock Amber Faught (Lakewood HS RFC, OH) in support. However McCormick found open flanker Caila Ney with a pass to the blindside hinge.

Ney’s run took the Panthers just short of halfway when Sam Bruni called for the offload. Brittany Houston followed Bruni up the touchline and took the next offload and the ball over the ISU 10m before sending the ball back inside to Bruni. WIth the Panther forwards in support, Bruni set up the breakdown, but the ISU forwards managed to poach. From there the two teams would trade possession each phase until the ISU backline was eventually stopped on a forward pass.

The Panthers won the ensuing scrum, and the open side backline kicked ahead to touch. Kati McCormick stole the ISU lineout and set up the backline by drawing the defense and feeding fly half Lindsey Fickau. Two timing miscues in the Panther backline left the ball unsecured, but lock Amber Faught regained possession and drew defenders on her strong run. Houston settled the ruck and sent forwards weak to attack the ISU hinge. Tighthead Cori Jensen took the ball within 10 meters of the ISU goal line, and the Panther forwards ground slowly towards in-goal with pick-and-drive attack.

Inches from the goal line, the stalwart ISU defense turned the ball over, but ran into their own player drawing an obstruction penalty. The Panthers opted for the tap from penalty and looked to power in with the forwards. The maul did not produce clean ball and the Panthers were awarded a 5m scrum as they were moving forward prior to the stoppage. The Panthers were unable to control the scrum well enough to go for a push-over try and as scrumhalf Brittany Houston looked to play the ball, the ISU No. 9 wrapped Houston up, forcing a short and dangerous pass attempt to Lindsey Fickau at No. 10.

Fickau somehow managed to come up with the ball from 3 ISU defenders, and the Panther forwards took possession and drove a maul to within inches of goal. Houston settled the pack and passed clear to Fickau who sent the ball to outside center Maggie Reidy. Reidy gave fullback Mollie Martin a miss and hit wing Sam Bruni on a two-hop pass.

Bruni gathered the ball and cut back in against the sliding ISU defense. Martin looped outside for the offload, but Bruni was swallowed by three ISU defenders. The Panther Backline converged on Bruni and secured possession. Kati McCormick picked from the base of the ruck and drove towards the goal line, but the ensuing maul did not end successfully. The Panthers restarted from a 5m scrum, but were unable to get low enough on the drive for a push-over. Houston sent the ball to Martin on a blindside insert, but the ISU defense negated the attempt by Martin to send the ball out to Bruni. The Panther forwards took two phases to the blind, putting the second breakdown precariously close to the touch line.

Houston sent
the ball back infield to Fickau who spun the ball to Tina Gill on a crash. The ISU defense converged around Gill, but Fickau came in to take Gill’s post and grind toward the goal line on her own. As she powered through the ISU defense, Lindsey was able to ground the ball just over the goal line at 12:38. Houston’s conversion attempt at 13:28 was again thwarted by the wind, and the Panther lead stayed at 10-0.

Lock Aimee Uher fielded the restart and took the ball straight ahead to the Panther 10 meter, where the forwards settled play with two ball-in-hand takes. Houston sent the ball to the backline where it eventually found blindside wing Val Seidl (Brookfield U-19, WI). Seidl was stood up by the ISU defense, but her centers bound on and drove her forward, eventually settling the maul into a ruck. Fickau took ball-in-hand and fought through 5 ISU defenders before being brought to ground where Kati McCormick again took ball-in-hand. The ruck was untidy and the Panther forwards were penalized for hands-in.

ISU kicked to touch from the penalty and backed the Panthers up to their own 22m. From the lineout, ISU won possession and tapped back from the catch. The Panther forwards pressured past the ISU forwards, and converged on the 10 – 13 exchange forcing a knock-on just short of the Panther 10m. The Panthers won clean possession after one reset and No. 8 Kati McCormick took blind with Houston in support. ISU managed to turn over the ball, but the Panthers won it back after one phase.

Houston was caught in the ruck, and fullback Mollie Martin cleared the ball to Fickau who cleared her lines with a kick over the ISU open wing. ISU ran it back in to their forwards, but were penalized for not retreating from the breakdown. Brittany Houston took the penalty from the halfway mark, tapped and sent the ball out to flanker Caila Ney who took the ball around the corner of the ISU defense before getting dragged down inside 10 meters from the goal line. Wing Sam Bruni stayed on her support line and Ney offloaded to her from the tackle. Bruni took the ball and went in for a try at 17:20. Houston’s conversion attempt at 18:07 was good and the Panthers went ahead 17-0.

The Panthers fielded the ball clean on the restart kick, set a maul and drove to their 10m when ISU was penalized for collapsing the maul. Houston opted for the tap-and-run and the Panthers moved steadily up-field into ISU territory. ISU eventually turned over the ball and cleared their lines with a kick to the Panther back three where Bruni was eventually run into touch. ISU knocked-on in the lineout and the Panthers were awarded a scrum at 15 near their own 10m.

The Panthers won the scrum and marched ahead with forward offloads. When the continuity passing dried up, Houston sent the ball wide to Fickau who placed a kick over the head of the open wing. Sam Bruni chased the loose ball down and kicked ahead into in-goal. Bruni outpaced the ISU defenders and fell on the ball in-goal at 23:00 for her second try of the day. The wind caught Houston’s conversion attempt at 23:58 and the Panthers were in the lead 22-0.

The Panthers took the restart and marched down to the ISU 22m on offload passing before being run into touch. ISU secured the lineout and clear kicked back to their own 10m. The Panthers won their own lineout and sent the ball out the backline. The Panther forward support was a bit too slow and the ISU defense poached the ball.

ISU sent the ball around the corner of the Panther defense, but fullback Mollie Martin managed to slow the ISU attack before Tina Gill and Val Seidl brought the ball carrier to ground inside the Panther 22m. This time it was the Panther’s turn to poach the ball and the forwards took the turnover and marched up-field on ball-in-hand rugby. ISU was penalized for offside just over the Panther 22m. Houston cleared the ball into touch near the Panther 10m. Flanker Caila Ney brought the ball down with typical poise and Houston sent the ball on its way to the backline. Things were going well for the Panthers until a forced pass by Mollie Martin created turnover ball for Iowa State inside the Panther 22m.

ISU had the ball in the maul and was driving forward. The maul again ended unsuccessfully, and ISU was awarded a scrum restart. But the Panthers initiated a wheel and turned the scrum past 90 degrees before ISU could use the ball thereby regaining possession. At the restart the Lady Panthers easily secured possession and Fickau cleared her lines with a kick over the ISU blind wing. Martin covered defensively and forced ISU inside. The ISU wing passed into the ISU outside center who had a go with the ball but lost it forward in contact. The Panthers were awarded a scrum restart…

…And then the video camera batteries died due to the cold. Seriously.

But…Mollie Martin closed the scoring in the half with a try of her own at 36:56. Houston’s conversion at 37:51 was into the wind and failed to find its mark. And the Lady Panthers headed into the halftime rest on top 27-0.

The second half was decidedly all UWM as Brittany Houston opened the scoring at 44:57 with her second try of the day, but failed in her conversion attempt at 45:45. Although the tide of the game swelled in the Panthers’ favor, the effort of the ISU scrumhalf and ISU No. 8 Katie Weber must be noted. They were simply all over the field, and made phenomenal plays on both defense and offense.

Mollie Martin was the next Panther to touch down at 54:02. Houston nailed the conversion at 55:00 and would score again on tries at 63:03 and 68:10 with conversions at 63:58, 69:00, 73:05, 74:51 and 79:41. Houston finished the day with 34 points.

Mollie Martin was in for her third try at 70:55, and Kati McCormick posted two tries of her own at 74:06 and 79:02.

The Lady Panthers have a bye on the weekend of October 17-18 and will host the Midwest U-19 & U-17 Select Side Tryout and USA Rugby U-20 National Team Head Coach Bryn Chivers at the Milwaukee County Lake Park “Gun Club” pitch on the north end of Lincoln Memorial Drive on Milwaukee’s Lakefront.

Sincerely,
J. Scot Prunckle
Head Coach – UW-Milwaukee Women’s RFC