Ruggers' try not enough to win

The Rhino Ruggers lost three tries to one against John Carroll in a mini-tournament held there last weekend.

Senior Tara Ikenouye, women's rugby club president, said the team was not given credit for scoring one of its tries. "We were robbed of a try," Ikenouye said, attributing this theft to the team's inability to accurately judge where exactly the try line was.

"We played very well given the field was not lined, there was no grass on it and it was snowing and cold. There were four cones and uprights and that's it," Ikenouye said.

By the time the second game the women's rugby teams were supposed to play in rolled around, the teams had had enough of the miserable weather and field conditions they endured throughout their first contests. So they left early.

"It was not worth sticking around," Ikenouye said.

Junior Tina Barksdale, who plays second row in the scrum, scored the Rugger's one try. Barksdale said John Carroll had just picked up the ball and begun moving upfield when, anticipating her opponent's move, she stole the ball and dragged three people with her into the try zone. "They tried to tackle me," Barksdale said, "but they couldn't get me down."

Barksdale said she has never scored before - in rugby or five years of soccer experience. "It was really refreshing to score," she said.

She also said that junior Carrie Losneck just missed scoring after a run upfield. Barksdale said. "She was right there.," Barksdale said. She added that Losneck was hindered by the field's condition as a "big mudpit."

Ikenouye said the scrum played well, though after a while, due to frustration, started feeding the scrum - a tactic which is "basically cheating."

"Compared to the last game, it was a 110 percent improvement," Ikenouye said. She said Ruggers new to the team were less timid than during their first game - a loss - against Wittenberg. "People were more into the game. They weren't as timid," Ikenouye said.

"There are a lot of freshman," Barksdale said. "The more they play, the better they play."