The Mesa State women’s rugby team hosted the defending Division II national champions University of Wyoming Cowgirls in the Breast Cancer Game at Dixon Field Sunday. Both teams went in with an undefeated record, so something had to give. When all was said and done, the Mavs came out on top, 20-17.
“This was the first team that had given us a real competition,” Mesa State captain Mack Lewis said. “It was a really big win for us. It was pretty much our season because now we are guaranteed a playoff spot.”
The game started out slowly for both teams, but the ladies pulled away in the second half. After falling behind 20-12, the Cowgirls scored to make it 20-17. But they weren’t able to overcome the lady Mavs’ defense.
“This was a team that we haven’t played before and we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into,” player Bobby Bouchard said. “We knew a few of their players and we know how some of them play, but our team played pretty well.”
On paper, the teams looked even. Both teams had won their games by large margins and both had national team players.
“They had three girls on the West team and one on the USA team, just like us,” Lewis said. “It was pretty evenly matched throughout the game.”
With a win against a high caliber team, the ladies know that they can do well from here on out.
“The win gives us confidence,” Lewis said. “We know we have places that we need to work on. We started out too slow, and waiting until the second half can be too long to wait to start doing well.”
The Mavs total of 20 points is the lowest the team has scored all season long. The ladies are known for their high scoring offense as they have put up over 50, 60 and even 90 points in games this year. The 90 points came in a shutout against University of Colorado.
Mesa State’s mens team lost just an hour before the ladies kicked off, and the men stayed to cheer for the ladies.
“Those are our boys. They take good care of us,” Bouchard said. “They come support us and we support them. They even get fans for us. I don’t know how it is at other schools, but we are really tight with them.”
With the men’s team caught up in their own controversies with ineligible players and players getting kicked off, the ladies still show their support to those who are clean.
“We are trying to stick by the sides to those who are still playing,” Lewis said. “A lot of stuff happened to their team, and that stinks, but they have a young team and they are getting rid of the seniors who are a part of that controversy. They just need to regroup and get rid of that bad reputation.”
With a 7-0 record and leading the Division II standings, the ladies play just one scrimmage before things slow down for the winter. Playoffs don’t start until the spring and until then, the Mavs will have to deal with practices and touch games with the guys. Even with the long layoff, the Mavs are confident.
“I think we have a good shot at it all,” Lewis said. “We have a good chemistry and a good team dedicated to the game.”
u
ahimes@mesastate.edu