CASTLETON, Vermont – The University of Maine at Farmington rugby women loaded up their vans at 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning and wedged their way through hordes of leaf peepers to visit Castleton College in what they hoped would lead to their first win of the fall season.
The match began as a defensive affair, with Castleton camped near the UMF tryline, but stellar defense led by a pack of forwards anchored by Jenna Benoit and Jaysie DeWolf kept the hosts at bay. Then DeWolf, who was superb all afternoon, broke off a long run that led to a Castleton penalty. The UMF halfback pairing of Bethany Routier and Katie Stasalovich wasted no time as Routier fed the quick tap to Stasalovich who raced for a try in the corner and a 5-0 UMF lead.
The second half began with the Castleton team once again camped near the UMF tryline and their continued pressure led to a penalty try that put the hosts up 7-5. UMF then took the ball into the Castleton end, but hard running backs Jubilee Macleod and Ladham Ahmed were each stopped just short of the tryline. The Castleton women regained possession and scored the matches final try to secure the 12-5 win.
For the UMF women, next Sunday at 1 p.m. will be their next chance to notch the season’s first win when they host Johnson State College at UMF’s Prescott Field.
