The Penn State women's rugby team is probably glad it is out of West Chester.

Coming off of last weekend's last-minute loss to Navy in the finals of the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union in West Chester, the Lady Ruggers returned to the site of the loss and came away with near similar results.

The Lady Rugger A team dropped its first two matches of the West Chester Tournament on Saturday before turning things around yesterday with a victory over Shippensburg.

With the weather again reaking havoc on the Ruggers on Saturday, this time in the form of rain, the Ruggers were forced to battle James Madison and host West Chester in 15-minute abreviated halves.

Penn State women's rugby coach Peter Steinberg said that the short halves evened the playing field for everyone. "It isn't about the better team winning," Steinberg said. "It's about getting lucky."

The Ruggers did not help themselves in either game on Saturday, especially against West Chester, when the team came out uninspired in an 18-12 loss.

"We're having some issues based around mental focus and being up for the game," Steinberg said. "We just did not play well."

In the other match of the day, the Ruggers came out with much more fire and controlled James Madison but lost on a defensive lapse and lost 7-0.

"The halves were shortened and we didn't come ready to play," Lady Rugger Kim Magrini said.

Before their match yesterday, the Lady Ruggers participated in a dinner with some alumni to raise money for the team. The Ruggers responded well, taking the play to Shippensburg in a dominating 54-0 victory.

Talk about some food for thought.

"It was a good way to end [the tournament]," Steinberg said.

The Lady Ruggers B team fared a little better than the A side in terms of victories, as the younger players enjoyed a couple of victories on Saturday over Bloomsburg, 12-8, and the Under-19 national team, 10-5. Yesterday the B team lost to a good Saint Joesph's team, 22-5.

Steinberg was encouraged by the B team's play and said it will help the team build for next season.

"The B side did really, really well," Steinberg said.

With all the team's hard work coming to a head next weekend with the Sweet 16's, the Ruggers are ready for the challenge and saw this weekend as a good tune-up.

"We're really looking forward to going there and working hard this week," Magrini said.

As long as "there" isn't located in or near West Chester.