With the men’s rugby season over, all eyes were on the women’s rugby team. In what has been a perfect season up to this point, only Ithaca was in the way of a perfect 8-0 regular season.

An overpowering offense and a stout defense led to a 56-10 win over Ithaca, which completed a perfect 8-0 season, one that players didn’t think was possible coming into the season.

“I was a little nervous going into this season because we lost so many starting players,” senior captain Kirsten Dole said. “After the first couple of wins, I saw the potential this team had.”

This team has tremendous offensive firepower. In eight games this season, the team has scored 403 points, for an average of about 50 points per contest.

The firepower on offense, along with the stout defense, makes for a hard-to-beat team. The defense has only surrendered 30 points the entire season, for an average of about four points a game.

“We all worked hard to get where we are. Most importantly, we worked together to achieve it,” Dole said.

Passing is a staple of the women’s rugby team and is something they pride themselves on.

“Every hand that touches the ball matters; we can’t do it without our teammates. Rugby is a team sport, and all 15 players matter,” Emily Sneck said. “We have to keep playing as a team. The minute someone starts trying to be the hero on the field to score is the minute we will start to lose the game.”

The first round of the playoffs will bring a familiar opponent. Buffalo State women’s rugby club will take on Ithaca for the second consecutive week. If this game was any indication, Buffalo State will take care of business.

The winner will take on the winner of Geneseo versus University at Buffalo. Earlier in the season, Buffalo State faced off against both University at Buffalo and Geneseo.

“We know how hard the competition was between University at Buffalo and Geneseo, so either way, we have to condition hard and prepare hard for whoever we play,” Dole said.

The final score against University at Buffalo was 12-10, and against Geneseo, the final was 20-15. The offense wasn’t so overpowering in these games, and the defense surrendered 25 of the 30 they gave up the whole season in these two games alone.

“It would be an honor to win a championship and represent Buffalo State. We don’t get the recognition, being a club sport,” Dole said. “Winning shows all the hard work and dedication that we have put into this season.”

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