Tomorrow, it's officially go-time for the Penn State women's rugby team.

An 11:30 a.m. kickoff against the Delaware Blue Hens at the east campus fields signifies the start of the Lady Ruggers' annual quest for the national championship. The team has competed in six of the last seven title games, hoisting the trophy twice.

Though a win is not essential this weekend, a victory would ensure the Lady Ruggers a spot in the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union (MARFU) tournament. A loss means their fate is left to a selection committee and a probable lower seed, though the Lady Ruggers' dominant fall season makes them a virtual lock for a high seed. The MARFU holds five spots in the national Sweet Sixteens, so doing well in the MARFUs means an easier road towards a possible national title.

Despite the pressure to win, captain Claudia Knudsen said the team is "not concerned" about the outcome as much as the experience.

"I'm not worried about the final score," she said. "It's much more about the experience that we will gain ... especially with the backs."

Experience in backfield play will be a definite focus of the game. Starting flyhalf Emma Holland broke her arm in practice on Wednesday night, disrupting depth at a crucial position in a tournament that demands experience. Meg O'Melia assumes the starting position that coach Pete Steinberg likened to that of a quarterback in football. Both Steinberg and Knudsen said they are "very confident" in O'Melia as she steps up into a new role.

Another point open to scrutiny is the kicking game. The team struggled with kicking all fall season, as evidenced by missing 16 of 17 conversion kicks last Oct. 27 against Salisbury State.

"Kicking is still the weakness of the team," Steinberg admitted.

The Lady Ruggers are taking no chances with the possibility of losing. In their lone practice this week due to inclement weather, the team worked on passing schemes, contact, and ball possession in addition to kicking, which were keys during the fall season for the team and will continue to be so.

Despite Holland's injury, the Lady Ruggers are enjoying a momentum swing entering tomorrow's contest. The team is coming off a successful fall season in which they beat longtime rival and national powerhouse Navy. Also in preparation for the playoffs, the team took a three-game sweep through collegiate and national club teams in Barcelona, Spain during Spring Break and beat James Madison University 22-17 last Saturday.

"The team feels pretty confident in themselves," Steinberg said regarding the fall season and recent success. "We certainly have a lot of potential to do really well."