By Jonathan Sawyer
Sports Editor
As the season comes to a close, the St. Bonaventure women’s rugby team looks to enter the playoffs as the three seed. The Bonnies will enter the Upstate New York College Rugby Conference small school division playoffs Saturday morning.
Head coach Clarence Picard said even though the team is small, they stick close together.
“Since we only have had 17-18 players throughout the season, we have a very tight-knit group,” Picard said. “The team has had to fight through some injuries and various challenges, but because of that we’re stronger as a group. We are definitely led by our seniors on and off the field, and there is a sense of wanting to send them out on top.”
Graduate student fly-half Rachel Noone said this is the closest team she has ever been a part of.
“We have great team chemistry,” Noone said. “Our main weakness would probably be that we started the season off with quite a few inexperienced players, but since we have limited players, everyone has had quite a bit of playing time.”
Going into a playoff game against Plattsburgh University tomorrow, Picard wants the women to play their game.
“We just want to stick to what got us to this point: strong, physical defense, smart decision-making and pressuring the opponent to work harder and hustle more than us,” Picard said. “We try to keep things simple but that simplicity has given the players and coaches confidence in what we are trying to do.”
Picard says one of the team’s strengths this season has been defense.
“[It is] led by the strong tackling of freshman inside center Emily Sion and senior outside center Sarah Faltyn and grad student eight-man Nyla Rueter,” Picard said. “We need to work on our discipline in avoiding penalties, and decision making when deep in our own territory, but overall we are progressing nicely.”
Noone said her team will need to come ready to play for tomorrow’s contest.
“We will need to play with confidence. We have all the fundamentals and skills that we need to succeed; we just need to recognize that,” Noone said.
Avoiding injuries will be a key part in the Bonnies game tomorrow, said senior Autumn Wiggs.
“With having such low numbers, we don’t have room for injuries. This means that we need to be smart when we go into contact. We need to remember the basic technique that we learned so that we are able to make those solid tackles and win those rucks easily to avoid dangerous contact,” Wiggs said.
As this is Picard’s first season as head coach, he takes pride in the history.
“Our alumni support has been huge and having supporters on campus, like retired head coach Dr. Tracy Schrems, helps remind us of the work that has been put in over the year,” Picard said.
Picard mentioned some of the players that have played key roles on the team this season.
“Sarah Faltyn has been our leading offensive player at outside center, scoring 15 tries in four games. Sion and Rueter have also been key ball carriers,” Picard said. “Grad student and fly-half Rachel Noone has probably been our MVP, captaining the team on match day and providing a steady influence for the less experienced players. Junior scrum-half Carlie Jacque has also played a key role in keeping us composed and in the game plan.”
Picard loves how his team plays with great enthusiasm, skill and pride.
If the Bonnies win tomorrow, they will advance to the state semi-finals/finals tournament in Aardvark Park in Rochester on Nov. 5 and 6.
The University of Rochester and Colgate University have already secured the top two seeds. If the Bonnies win or place second in the state tournament they will qualify for the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) regionals on Nov. 12 and 13.
The Bonnies will take on Plattsburgh tomorrow at 11 a.m. on the Marra Athletic Complex.
sawyerjp15@bonaventure.edu
