After rain dampened the State College area earlier in the week, the women's rugby team is anxious and ready to get back on the field and finally play.

Rain forced the team to practice in Rec Hall on Monday evening and made for more intense practices later in the week.

The team concentrated on focusing on handling and passing the ball for most of the week, and also some contact.

"We are all exhausted, but they are the types of practices that you feel good about when you are done," Kim Magrini said.

The Lady Ruggers A team, which is considered to be the better of the two squads, will travel to New York to face the New York club team tomorrow afternoon.

The B team will square off against the Lady Docs of USUHS at home on the East Campus field at 3 p.m.

The team's standing for the national championship bid will not be affected by either game.

Inexperience and size will be both teams' biggest challenge for this weekend's games, but the Lady Ruggers still remain confident in their abilities and are looking forward to improving their game.

"We will get great experience because we will be facing bigger, more experienced girls than we have seen before," Lady Ruggers captain Kelly Evanovich said. "This game will be especially great for the B team because the rookies will get to play in their first game and will get some good experience."

In the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy, the Beantown Tournament in which they were to participate was forced to be cancelled.

Normally, the team gains a great deal of experience at this tournament, but will now have to look to other games for it.

This weekend's games are important stepping stones for the team as it works toward its ultimate goal of the national championship.

Said Kathy Doyle: "These games will be good practice because a lot of the teams will be this good at the national level."