Lady Ruggers travel to Virginia with confidence

By JENNIFER BARTOLINI
Collegian Staff Writer

All or nothing -- that's the challenge facing the Penn State women's rugby team.

The reason for the challenge -- a new format for competition which requires a team win every game on the road to the national championship. For the Lady Ruggers, that first challenge comes tomorrow on that road against Virginia.

The Ruggers beat Virginia in the fall, making them a strong favorite to make it two in a row this weekend. Penn State coach Pete Steinberg is confident his team will win the match, but told his players not to underestimate the dangers UVA presents.

"At practice, coach underscored one thing," senior Becky Metzger said. "That while UVA is a team that could beat us, they shouldn't beat us."

The Ruggers will compete for the first time since returning from their tour of England over spring break. The team dropped three of its four games, losing to developmental national sides and one of the top women's club sides.

Steinberg is hoping to build on the experience gained from the aggressive English competition.

"I would like us to use the aggressive play that we got in England and apply it to the teams that we play," he said. "The team came across some very aggressive teams, and we need to step up and be punishing in the contact situations. I would like us to pressure on defense and make solid tackles."

The team has also implemented a new style of backline play called the flat backline and looks to improve on it this weekend.

Many younger players went on the trip across the Atlantic and were able to face some of the strongest women's club side teams in England. Senior Jen Ellefson said there were a few players on the tour who had never even played in a game before. She also said the aggressive English players were a shock to most of the team in the first game. For Ellefson and teammates Jen Sikora, Becky Metzger and Megan Brown, the level of play was no surprise, as the four faced similar competition while touring England with the U.S. under-23 team in December.

With all the experience under its belt, Penn State is boasting one of its strongest teams ever and is in hot pursuit of another national championship title. Last year's national champion Radcliffe has already been knocked out of competition, leaving Navy as Penn State's toughest competitor.

"We are expecting to win nationals," Ellefson said. "Next weekend we would face Navy and if we win that we have home-field advantage through the championships, and that's what we want."

Metzger echoed Ellefson's words, noting the effects of the pressure of the new format.

"It sets up important games every weekend," she said. "We need to play our best this weekend and then play even better next weekend."