Geneseo Women’s rugby tackles The Alfred UNYCRC Jamboree

Photo courtesy of Sophia “Joey” Weik

On Mar. 9, the Geneseo Women’s rugby team traveled to Alfred University to play in a friendly competitive tournament, facing off against Nazareth University, SUNY Brockport, and SUNY Fredonia. The Warthogs played in three 14-minute seven-a-side rugby games and came out victorious in all games. 

They started the day off against Nazareth, as the Hogs got settled on the field, ready to receive the first kick-off to senior center Ava Spottek. They quickly brought it up the field, gaining yards before a clean off-load to senior prop Maddie Sepcaru before taking the ball down. 

With a penalty on Nazareth for keeping their hands in the ruck, senior scrum-half Sophia “Joey” Weik quickly tapped the ball back and passed it to Sepcaru for the day's first try for the Hogs. After a successful conversion kick from senior fly-half Caitlin Schirmer, Geneseo put seven points on the board. 

Shortly into the second half, Schirmer got a pass from junior hooker Jess Leonard out of a ruck and carried the ball through Nazareth's defense, keeping them away as she stiff arms three players and broke through to the try zone. With another successful conversion, the Hogs were up seven more points. 

Before the end of the second half, Geneseo was getting closer to the try zone. With senior prop Maria Netto and sophomore wing Charlotte Sanson protecting the ball in a ruck, Weik picked and went off the back and plunged the ball over the try line for the last try of their first game. After a break, the Hogs were ready for more action with a second line-up— excited to take the field against SUNY Brockport. 

Geneseo kicked off to Brockport, but their possession did not last long as freshman wing Jill Cynar made a powerful tackle with support from junior scrum-half Anna Taylor to win the ruck and get possession of the ball. Junior Sophia Bobeck quickly grabbed the ball and made a fast break for the try zone for the first of the game. 

Defensively, the Warthogs kept their spacing and came up on the ball together, making their tackles clean and strong from players like junior prop Rachel Dennie and sophomore hooker Gloria Hodge keeping Brockport away from their try zone. 

Before the first half ended, freshman fly-half Rileigh Madden got a clean pass from Taylor off a scrum five meters from Geneseo’s try zone and took off for a full-field sprint into Brockport’s zone. When the second half began, the Hogs wasted no time as Madden yet again got the ball to her hands and made it through Brockport’s tough defense for her second try of the day— immediately after, kicking a successful conversion. 

Thanks to players like freshman props Alex Gittomer-Dawson and Mya Pangaro, who kept the ball moving up the field with successful rucks, Taylor was able to get a hold of the ball to take it up the field and put Brockport in the spin cycle to get through to the try zone, putting an end to the second game. 

The last game started with a kick to SUNY Fredonia, who was not ready to receive it. Sepcaru used this to the team’s advantage, chased the kick, gained possession, and ran it through the try zone, putting numbers on the board. Geneseo had strong tackles, powerful rucks, and quick balls out to keep the flow of the game moving with a successful loop between Schirmer and Sepcaru, who off-loaded the ball to Netto in the 22-meter mark and over the try zone for the second try of the game. 

With a line-up change to start and end the second half quickly, Madden was ready and able to move the ball around and gain yards up the field to score yet another try, followed by a successful conversion. Geneseo’s ability to keep possession of the ball was imminent, and Spottek was able to support her teammates as the ball made it through the back line and into her hands for a fast break to try to end the game. 

The next time the Warthogs play is Mar. 30 for the Upstate Qualifying tournament at Niagara University, with more information to be determined!