Women’s rugby team dominates Idaho State
Utah State women’s rugby coach Pati Kohler said her team played sloppy Saturday – sloppy to the tune of a 55-0 blowout over Idaho State.
“Our starting team wasn’t here today,” Kohler said. “So, I was very happy with some of the girls who stepped up.”
In all, Kohler said four starters were out of town for Saturday’s massacre of ISU.
Starters, or reserves, or whomever, USU has been able to consistently put up dominant numbers so far this fall and Aggie Brooke Lambert said the team is looking to improve upon last season’s No. 8 finish nationally.
But Kohler and her players said talent might not be the team’s biggest obstacle.
“I wish we had a little better competition in our union,” Kohler said.
“It’s hard to get better when you’re not playing anyone even close to where we need to be,” Lambert said. “In nationals, we’re going to be playing teams at least as good as we are and we don’t get a lot of practice against good teams. So it’s kind of hard and frustrating.”
Kohler and Lambert both said the team is looking forward to an increased level of competition in tournaments later this year in Reno, Nev., and San Diego, Calif.
“We’re a Division II team,” Lambert said. “And we’re the only Division II team that got invited to the Reno tournament.”
Lack of competition aside, Kohler, in her second season as head coach, said she is still impressed by the team’s play.
“They’re definitely a better team than last year,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of returning players which definitely helps us.”
During Saturday’s matchup with the Bengals, Kohler said, despite some messy play, the squad performed well.
“Our back line looked really good today,” she said. “Tara Earl played really well and Lissa Woolf had a great game.”
Kohler said Woolf, a sophomore, has increased her role on the team this season.
“Lissa’s really stepped up this year,” she said. “Her game has come a long way and she’s been a good example to the new girls.”
Lambert said dropped balls were the team’s biggest problem Saturday, but said rain was partially responsible.
“It was just really muddy,” USU’s Erika Hansen said. “It was really messy out there but we played hard and had good control for the most part.
“It was a fun game – a perfect day for rugby. Wet games are always the best.”
Before the team shifts focus entirely to spring tournaments, it still has two more games this fall.
After a weekend off, the Ags will take on a Salt Lake City club team Nov. 6 in Logan, before heading to Provo for a rematch with BYU on Nov. 13.
-acf@cc.usu.edu